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A few things here that i'd like to add that could be factors for rising unemployment: Economic recession, outsourcing, bad education causing youth to be less employable, rising labour costs and automation. It is my understanding that immigrants usually enter a country looking for work, and would hardly be interested in a country where there is no work. There are so many other issues influencing employment that it seems quite ignorant to include only one factor such as immigration. Immigrants also choose work that citizens don't want to do.
– Tjaart
Commented Jan 30, 2012 at 23:38
4

Good post. Consider elaborating a little more about the part where they say "findings of no significant effect 'defy intuition'". If they do say that, quote it. I want to read it in their words because that's one of the dumbest thing I have read this month. Economics is filled with counter-intuitive findings, such as comparative advantage.
– Borror0
Commented Jan 30, 2012 at 23:50
1

@Borror0 Added quote of whole sentence. And you are quire right: counter intuitive is common in economics and is basically an assertion that MigrationWatch are appealing to popular prejudice not proper argument.
– matt_black
Commented Jan 31, 2012 at 0:10
2

@Tjaart: As Matt explains at the beginning of his answer, the assumption made by MigrationWatch is probably that immigrants steal the job from citizens. If you believe jobs are finite, then it follows that immigration could drive up unemployment. Of course, as Matt also said in his answer, modern economic theory does not agree with that assumption but that they don't seem to be aware of that.
– Borror0
Commented Jan 31, 2012 at 0:13
2

@Benjol Theory isn't the issue here. Evidence is the issue. Yes, theory could be rotten and miss the impact on some but the evidence we have doesn't say that. If anything it is the opponents of migration who appeal to theory (though their "theory" is a discredited one that coincides with naive but widely held beliefs).
– matt_black
Commented Nov 17, 2016 at 9:53

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