NPR: Migration could prevent a looming population crisis. But there are catches

NPR reports that:

“Slowing birth rates in the developed world are resulting in aging populations and smaller workforces. But in parts of the developing world, the youth population is still growing, and some countries are struggling to create enough jobs for an expanding working-age population.

To economists, migration is the obvious solution. But the political implications could be harder to overcome. . . . 

`A real bellwether for the future is South Korea,’ said Michael Clemens, a professor of economics at George Mason University.

At 0.79 births per woman, South Korea has the lowest birthrate in the world. To augment the number of young, energetic workers relative to the number of old people, the country relies on migrant workers to fill labor shortages, Clemens said.

. . . .Immigration solves labor shortages in the developed world, and emigration solves job shortages in the developing world.”

Both anti-immigrant sentiment and fears of labor exploitation are impediments to relying on immigration to offset the impacts of declining birth rates on the labor market.

KJ