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Faster, Younger, Richer? The Fond Hope and Sobering Reality of Immigration's Impact on Canada's Demographic and Economic Future

Author

Listed:
  • Robin Banerjee

    (former C.D. Howe Institute Analyst)

  • William B.P. Robson

    (C.D. Howe Institute)

Abstract

More and younger immigrants cannot, on their own, offset the impact of low past fertility on Canadian workforce growth, old-age dependency, and incomes per person. Later retirement, higher fertility, and faster productivity growth are more powerful tools to ease the stress of demographic change on Canadian living standards.

Suggested Citation

  • Robin Banerjee & William B.P. Robson, 2009. "Faster, Younger, Richer? The Fond Hope and Sobering Reality of Immigration's Impact on Canada's Demographic and Economic Future," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 291, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdh:commen:291
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    File URL: https://www.cdhowe.org/public-policy-research/faster-younger-richer-fond-hope-and-sobering-reality-immigrations-impact-canadas-demographic-and
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tammy Schirle, 2008. "Greener Pastures: Understanding the Impact of Retirement Incentives in Defined-benefit Pension Plans," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 262, May.
    2. Aydemir, Abdurrahman & Robinson, Chris, 2006. "Return and Onward Migration Among Working Age Men," Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series 2006273e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch.
    3. Carl Schmertmann, 2012. "Stationary populations with below-replacement fertility," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 26(14), pages 319-330.
    4. Charles M. Beach & Alan G. Green & Christopher Worswick, 2007. "Impacts of the Point System and Immigration Policy Levers on Skill Characteristics of Canadian Immigrants," Research in Labor Economics, in: Immigration, pages 349-401, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    5. Carl Schmertmann, 1992. "Immigrants’ ages and the structure of stationary populations with below-replacement fertility," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 29(4), pages 595-612, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Peter Hicks, 2012. "Later Retirement: the Win-Win Solution," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 345, March.
    2. Georges, Patrick & Mérette, Marcel, 2011. "Trade Diversification Away from the U.S. or North American Customs Union? A Review of Canada’s Trade Policy Options," Conference papers 332084, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    3. Thorsten V. Koeppl, 2009. "How Flexible Can Inflation Targeting Be? Suggestions for the Future of Canada's Targeting Regime," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 293, August.
    4. Pierre L. Siklos, 2009. "As Good As It Gets? The International Dimension to Canada's Monetary Policy Strategy Choices," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 292, July.
    5. William B.P. Robson & Parisa Mahboubi, 2018. "Inflated Expectations: More Immigrants Can’t Solve Canada’s Aging Problem on Their Own," e-briefs 274, C.D. Howe Institute.
    6. Gretchen Van Riesen, 2009. "The Pension Tangle: Achieving Greater Uniformity of Pension Legislation and Regulation in Canada," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 294, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    economic growth and innovation; immigration; demographics; aging;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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