Fray Lindsay, a senior contributor for Forbes, revealed that the European Union and the United Kingdom could be facing a serious economic crisis due to the shortage of workers. He stated that there was a need for a shift in attitudes towards immigrants regardless of the socio-political difficulties in a bid to avert an inevitable economic disaster.
A report by the Center for Global Development (CGDev) revealed that Europe and the UK will have a shortage of around 44 million workers by 2050. This is largely due to the a decline in the demographics of the continent owing to an ageing population and lower birth rates. This is likely to put a strain on the existing welfare systems and slow down the growth of the European economy.
Interestingly, lesser developed countries tend to have a younger population with high fertility rates. African countries do not face the same problems consistent with the European demography. Some have suggested that the looming economic crisis can be ameliorated through increasing the participation of women in the workforce and raising the retirement age. Conversely, experts at the CGDev have dismissed this suggestion and insist that bringing in more workers is the only pragmatic solution.
The population of Africa is expected to double to 1.3 billion by 2050, it would be sensible for Europe to allow MORE immigrants from the region to fill in the job shortages. Africa has an increasing population of young people with suitable academic qualifications and a drive to contribute to the economy but unfortunately opportunities back home come at a premium.
Offering legal migration pathways for Africans into Europe could be a win-win situation for everyone involved. The drivers for anti-migration attitudes within the European continent could be mitigated on the basis of the reality of potential economic benefits of a migrant population. This could pave the way for structured and sustainable governmental policies to this effect.
