Economy: migration key to long-term economic growth, says OECD

International migration has fallen during the economic crisis, but as the recovery moves into gear migrants will once again be needed to fill labour and skill shortages, according to a new OECD report. The OECD’s International Migration Outlook 2010 says that the inflow of immigrants to OECD countries fell by about 6% in 2008 to 4.4 million people, reversing five years of average annual increases of 11%. Recent national data suggest migration numbers fell further in 2009.

KJ