A Discussion on The European Immigration Policy

Introduction

Europe is not obligated to accommodate immigration. Furthermore, immigration is ineffective in the global development policy (Carta et al., 2005). Europe is in the midst of witnessing the highest levels of immigration that seem to quadruple the population growth. With the level of legal immigration growing significantly, the absence of data on illegal immigration serves to put a dent in the need for immigrants in Europe. The nations are thus justified to be worried about the immigration process and its effect on the various citizens in the concerned nations. Without a decline in the immigration process, over two million people will be added every ten years, making the population in the nations unsustainable as time goes by. Considering the majority of the immigrants will move to urban centers, the effect on industrialization and resources will be significant. In comparison to the earlier waves of immigration, such as Huguenots, Jews, and Asians, they were forced to leave their nations, and considering they were limited in number, the process concluded naturally. The present scenario is based on the richness and better living and working conditions amongst the European nations. The huge disparity of wealth amongst the world nations serves to entice individuals from poor nations to seek better living conditions from developed nations (Losonc, 2016; Kochhar & Fry, 2014). With the advent of television and advanced media sources, news and aspects of developed nations are easily accessible, making it impossible to miss such advertisements. Whether it is a family reunion, asylum, work permits, or students settling permanently in Europe, to the immigrants, this is a good opportunity. However, to the citizens of the European nations, the effect is dire, and they should be worried about the current levels of immigration.

European Immigration Policy: Challenges and Perspectives

Combating immigration has resulted in both political and humanitarian campaigns, with some condemning while others supporting the issue. To start with, the European population is expected to continue growing (Hajkova & Hajek, 2014). According to Eurostat, the EU’s statistical agency, population growth is expected to grow from 376 million to 386 million between 2000 and 2025 (Hajkova & Hajek, 2014). While most supporters of immigration have held to the argument that the process is necessary for the declining European population, the immigrants are only serving to boost the population even further. With increased population, the strain on natural resources becomes a concern, which makes it essential for Europe to be concerned. Hypothetically, should the population start declining, tapping into the immigration sector is a good way of ensuring the nation is sustained. Moreover, a comprehensive policy approach that includes both short-term and long-term strategies could help mitigate these issues.

The Workforce Dilemma

Another reason for cautiousness is the fact that Europe does not have a declining workforce. In reality, as predicted by different statistical organizations, with an increased number of women retiring between 60 and 65 between 2010 and 2020, the workforce is expected to expand, hence the threat of relying on immigrants for the provision of the nation’s workforce is unnecessary (McNulty, 2017). The increased entry of women into the job market also ensures that the workforce will always be available. Additionally, automation and technological advancements could further support workforce sustainability. Several types of research have determined that immigrant labor is due to push migration, such that the intent is to increase employment instead of being a necessity. Except for Italy, most European nations are bound to have an expanded workforce, with the United Kingdom having the fastest growth in the working population. Based on this fact, increased immigration will serve to hinder local citizens from fully realizing the goals and aspirations set in the nation. As much as accepting immigration is humane, most nations have a responsibility to their citizens above everything else.

Development Policy and Its Implications

Another reason why most European nations should be concerned is the fact that immigration is not a substitute for development policy. The process works to deprive most developing nations of a chance to develop, considering most educated and entrepreneurial citizens leave their motherlands to go to foreign nations. While exporting services from skilled individuals serves to bring a few dollars or pounds into their economies, much more would be achieved if the individuals stayed in their nations and participated in practices of reformation. This should be a concern for European countries, as the poorer the economies become, the more affected the world economy will grow, and eventually, three-quarters of the weak economies will be forced to shift to the developed nations. This will result in an influx, and control will be almost an impossibility. Furthermore, fostering economic partnerships with developing nations could help mitigate these challenges.

Economic Contributions and Challenges

To supporters of immigration, the directive that immigrants pay tax boosting the government resources is justified (Kauppinen & Vilkama, 2016). After all, the more funds the government has, the easier it is to develop the nation's infrastructure. This fact is true concerning immigrants from North America and Japan. However, the case is not true for immigrants from third world nations who are averagely less well-educated, unemployed, and claim most benefits. Weighing the spending against the taxation process, it is apparent it is far more expensive than it is worth. The majority of the immigrants in the European nations are from Africa and other Asian nations. The prospects of the European nations gaining are thus compromised, making it an impossibility to fully assert how the countries will gain from taking them in. This is, therefore, reason enough for the nations to be worried. A balanced approach that evaluates the economic potential of immigrants could provide a clearer picture of their contributions.

Inequality and Social Implications

Another reason for concern is the increased inequality in the nations that immigrants move to (Xu et al., 2016; Hyde et al., 2015). To start with, those competing with immigrants in the labor market usually are poor, hence suffering low wages. With immigrants stepping in, the competition becomes worse for them. On the other hand, those who employ the immigrants enjoy lower costs, hence more significant profits. For those nations that depend on the property market, it becomes tough for those trying to own property. Therefore, those who benefit are those that already own various properties. This should be a concern considering the living conditions and standards become too stiff with a few individuals holding and running the economy while the majority of citizens compete for scarce resources with the immigrants. Furthermore, the immigrants are bound to win, considering they have no choice other than to do their best, which will be at the cost of the local citizens. Implementing fair labor practices and policies could help address these disparities.

Demographic Changes and Policy Implications

While the population is growing old, as argued by Barsch-Supan et al. (2014, pp. 224-29), the European nations should not rely on immigration as a quick fix. To start with, immigrants grow old too, hence assuming they will stand in for the elderly is pointless. Instead, the nations should put in place measures and policies that serve to combat the scenario. While the population is aging at a rapid pace in most European countries, birth control measures or directives to sustain the situation should be considered quickly. This should be considered a top priority for the policymakers, hence the need for their worry on the immigration issue. Innovative policies that encourage balanced demographic growth could also be explored.

Security Concerns

Another reason for concern is security, as argued by Billiet et al. (2014). The recent years have witnessed terrorist attacks in different parts of Europe, for example, the Paris attack followed by the Manchester attack, all of which left scores of innocent individuals dead. Being humane is allowed; however, behaving humanely should not serve to endanger the lives of the many innocent individuals who may only be caught in the melee. With the presence of terrorist organizations like ISIS, keeping a blind eye on the immigration process could cost a nation dearly, hence the need for the European countries to be concerned about the immigration policies and procedures. Strengthening security measures and international cooperation can help mitigate these risks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, immigration benefits immigrants; however, any policy ought to balance costs and benefits against the benefits the European residents will stand to gain. Considering the current immigration level creates parallel societies, most individuals resent it. Efforts in any policy should thus be frank in its aim identification, how the aims are to be achieved, and the enforcement procedure. Immigration has its benefits. However, citizens in the European nations have a right to the best services and working environment the governments can offer. Europe is slowly becoming overcrowded, and unless action is taken to prevent too much incursion into the nations, citizens stand to lose significantly. While this paper does not advocate for a zero-immigration policy, care should be taken to limit the number of immigrants getting into the nation. A comprehensive immigration policy that addresses both humanitarian and economic concerns is essential for sustainable development.