In a Migration Policy Institute report (The Overlooked Impact of Immigration on the Size of the Future U.S. Workforce), Jeanne Batalova, Michael Fix and Julia Gelatt analyze a critically important demographic reality that will greatly affect the workforce:  ” intensifying pressure on a smaller number of workers to support a growing number of retirees.”  Their conclusion:

“The demographic trends . . . point to two key policy challenges that have received insufficient attention from policymakers. While politicians have been preoccupied with the degree to which immigration should be restricted, what is missing is a thoughtful discussion about aligning the admissions system with the country’s economic and demographic needs. A forward-looking reform of the number and characteristics of immigrants admitted is long overdue, especially given ongoing demographic shifts. At the same time, national and state policymakers need to consider the contexts that these immigrants—and their second-generation offspring—will encounter. The opportunities and barriers that immigrants and their children, who are set to be a critical source of the future American workforce, will face will be pivotal in determining how effectively they contribute to the vitality of the U.S. economy and society.”

KJ