Falling fertility rates will alter the world's population dramatically. By 2050, most countries will have fewer than 2.1 babies per woman, the birth rate needed to maintain the population. This decline will leave a few countries responsible for global population growth and impact the economy, with shrinking workforces in wealthy nations requiring political and technological solutions.
Immigration is vital to the US workforce, contributing 18.6% of workers. They fill critical roles, reduce labor shortages, and boost tax revenues. Immigrants have high labor participation rates and entrepreneurship, creating jobs for US-born workers. Concerns about job competition are largely unfounded. Immigration helps offset a declining birth rate and aging workforce, ensuring the sustainability of Social Security. Overall, economists recognize immigration as a net positive for the US economy, despite its complexities.
