ifo DICE Report 3/2017 (Autumn): Fostering the Integration of Immigrants

Section: Forum – Fostering the Integration of Immigrants

Rising numbers of immigrants in many European countries are creating an even stronger incentive to integrate them both economically and socially. Countries that manage to integrate immigrants effectively can leverage several benefits including a larger workforce and the fiscal benefit resulting from increased tax payments, as well as offsetting the long-term negative impact of demographic ageing. If countries fail to integrate their immigrants, however, they risk a surge in unemployment, a fiscal burden, a waste of talent and potentially populist voting, as well as rising crime rates. The six articles in the Forum of this ifo DICE Report 3/2017 illustrate the factors that influence integration and provide an analysis of the policies that promote integration.