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Economists and politicians believe that the growing ageing population may affect areas like economic growth, health care and pension funds. Various governments have proposed that the ageing population needs to be replaced by immigrants. However, immigration also poses challenges that only add to the problem rather than solving it. Instead, the focus should be on encouraging more births, raising the retirement age and improving healthcare. These measures should be considered and adopted alongside immigration policies to tackle the issue of the ageing population.
Supporters of immigration believe that it supplements the shrinking labour force. Immigrants can help in reversing population decline and also protect countries from losing revenue generation from taxes. An example of this can be seen in the United States, where immigrants paid an estimated $328 billion in taxes, in the year 2014. This is the reason why countries like the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Canada welcome immigrants to supplement their ageing populations. Carefully selected immigrants that meet immigration criteria through professional qualifications and expertise are hotly canvassed by many governments around the world as they are a good replacement for an ageing population.
However, immigration can pose a series of challenges for a country. The belief that immigration is the panacea to the problem of the ageing population can be misguided. Convenient access to foreign workers does not translate to productivity. Working culture of immigrants is often not synonymous with the working culture of locals. Furthermore, immigrants not integrated within society can face issues like racism and also result in widespread xenophobia. An example of this can be seen in South Africa, where immigrant shops were attacked and people beaten because citizens feared that foreigners were taking away local jobs. In homogenous societies like Japan, hiring foreign workers has led to protests and demonstrations. Similar sentiments have been seen in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Singapore. This is because the Japanese believe that foreigners will be unable to assimilate into Japanese society and struggle with the language. All these points show that there is a need to rethink foreign immigration policies in the sense that they are beneficial to both immigrants and the locals. It is possible to make immigration a more viable solution, though it is not the only solution available.
Instead of immigrations, countries should focus on supplementing the ageing population. One method would be to encourage more births. Many countries have started implementing measures that address the root of low births. In countries like France, Finland, Norway and Sweden, governments have encouraged citizens to have more children by providing them with job security. Through family-friendly policies as well as liberal social norms like single parenthood, these countries have successfully managed to raise their fertility rates. Clearly, it is evident that boosting the fertility rate would have a far more pronounced effect on mitigating the effects of an ageing population in the long run.
There is also a need to understand that the ageing population is a boon and not a burden. Today’s ageing population lives longer than the previous generations. Medical advancements have allowed senior people to live an active and healthy life. Governments should treat the older population as an asset and with this view increase the retirement age. When the ageing population is given the freedom to work, they would feel more empowered and independent. This would also reduce the financial burden on their families who consider them a liability. By allowing senior citizens to work governments can ensure economic growth and also the well-being of the seniors. The trend of hiring older people is gaining impetus through returnship programmes offered by companies like Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Boeing and even Starbucks. The elderly should be encouraged to work because it gives their life a purpose and also helps the society in economic terms. Therefore, instead of replacing the ageing population the focus should be to reintegrate them within the workforce.
In conclusion, immigration is not the key solution to the problem of the ageing population. Nationalistic sentiments in France and Germany have shown that immigrants eventually bear the brunt of local socioeconomic discontentment. While it can be an efficient practice, it needs to work in tandem with other factors. In the long run, it may prove beneficial to strengthen the ageing population of the country by providing them with opportunities to stay productive. Alternatives like boosting fertility rates, honing and upgrading digital skills and providing medical support to the elderly would work better in the long-run.
