Advocating for rationality in immigration policies

Immigration is the flow of the population of one country to another.

Immigration has been a pressing election issue, especially in the USA and European countries.

The core question is why immigration happens.

Immigration happens because of the search for better opportunities, mainly economic but could also be cultural.

For example, residents of India or Mexico may migrate to the USA or the UK in search of better pay and more financial stability.

The Bible also has verses indirectly mentioning immigrants and how to treat them.

“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt." - Exodus 22:21

Immigration can make the residents of a country resentful due to an increase in competition in the job market.

The issue is how to make immigration more beneficial for the country that receives the influx of foreigners.

First of all, it is necessary to understand that immigration is not bad per se.

A country with a high population of elderly might benefit from the influx of young population willing to work in various sectors of the economy.

Immigration can be made beneficial by striving for a higher quality of immigrants. In other words, by making immigration meritocratic.

This means that talented and hard-working migrants migrating to a foreign country would contribute towards the well-being of that country through contributions in science, technology, education, research, and similar endeavors.

In this way, the country would benefit and score higher in indicators such as the GDP and HDI.

This situation would make for a win-win outcome.