Immigration and Jobs

Is there a topic more contentious in economics than the impact of immigration on the wages offered in receiving countries? A much-cited article by Ottaviano and Peri (2021) explores the effects of immigration on the wages of native US workers at various skill levels.

The research paper, titled Rethinking The Effect of Immigration on Wages, encourages us to believe that the findings will help us rethink our perceptions of the effect of newcomers to a country. The main finding is that there is only a small impact on wages, as many immigrants take on roles that native workers do not wish to do. Even more interesting is that for those with no high school degree, immigration positively impacts wages instead of the other way around.

We must educate ourselves on the truth about the movement of people. There is much fear fed into the media by populist politicians who use such issues to rally votes. When there is so much conflict and need in the world, it might be best to be informed and welcoming than to listen to hyperbole and exclude those in need.

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