Rhetoric too often crowds out the facts in any discussion of immigration. Research published this week by the oecd, an inter-governmental think-tank, provides some valuable ballast.The research, which is published in the oecd's latest "International Migration Outlook", looks at the fiscal impact of immigrants (defined as the foreign-born) in 27 rich countries. The study draws on household-survey data to make detailed comparisons of immigrants and the native-born in terms of their net direct contribution to the public purse-the difference between what they pay in direct taxes and social-security contributions, and what they receive in benefits.
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