Maravillas DelgadoOn September 30, it will be two years since the death of the cartoonist Quino, but the vital philosophy of his fantastic and always sharp Mafalda is still present. «Did you ever think that if it weren't for everyone, nobody would be anything?», she asked herself on one occasion. According to the report Diversity Wins, prepared by McKinsey in 2020, ethnic, cultural or gender diversity in work groups has a strong relationship with profitability and value creation. Promoting greater diversity in the labor market is one of the objectives derived from the new regulation of the Spanish Immigration Law, approved in the Congress of Deputies and which, among other measures, facilitates the hiring of foreigners and opens new avenues for the regularization of immigrants, so that they can legally enter the Spanish labor market. The debate on immigration policy tends to be intense and, on many occasions, visceral. Critics point out, among other things, the negative economic effects of the immigrant population on employment and wages, or the burden they represent for the welfare state system. However, before going back to Mafalda and her famous «Stop the world, I'm getting off», it is important to analyse these arguments. Firstly, there is no predetermined number of jobs. In fact, the massive incorporation of women into the labour market, especially after World War II, did not prevent men from continuing to work. Similarly, the labour market continues to evolve and the truth is that immigrants not only get jobs, but also create them through the spending of their wages, which increases the demand for goods and services. Nor are wages directly reduced by the incorporation of immigrant population into jobs. Most foreign workers do not replace national workers, but rather complement them. That is, they contribute with different skills and allow productivity to increase and employment to be reinforced in essential sectors that the national supply is not completing. A good example is the agricultural, food distribution and care sectors, which were essential to meet the basic needs of all citizens during the pandemic and which employ a large number of foreign workers. It is therefore not reasonable to blame immigration for poor working conditions, but rather it is necessary to ask public administrations for decent conditions and compliance with labour laws. Labour complementarity does not only come in terms of skills, but also in terms of youth. To face current and future economic and social challenges, Europe needs a diverse working population, both in skills and age. Obviously, Spain is no exception. Using United Nations population statistics, it is estimated that, from 1980 until now, the average age of the population has risen from 30 to 44 years and the population over 80 years will double in 2050, reaching 5.6 million people. The youth of the immigrant population looking for a job, therefore, offers a demographic bonus that the national market is not filling. In addition, the national working population is increasingly smaller. While in 1980 there were five people between 16 and 64 years old for every person over 65, in 2021 this ratio fell to three. According to the OECD, the net contribution of immigrant workers to taxes in Spain is close to 0.5% of GDP and proportionally greater than what they receive in benefits. A collection necessary to maintain spending on pensions and sustain public finances from which we all benefit. Immigrants complement and rejuvenate the workforce and increase tax revenues. “Where do we have to push this country to move it forward?” Mafalda asked herself. The multiple answers to this question cannot forget that foreign workers are not numbers or economic policy tools. They are people. Friends, family members, coworkers, parents of our children's classmates. Attracting and welcoming migrants generates social, cultural and economic wealth for all citizens. The reform of the regulations of the Immigration Law, therefore, is a necessary and positive step for the immigration system to facilitate the regularization and protection of those who contribute to the growth of the country. Óscar Guinea is an economist at the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE). On Twitter: @osguinea and Isabel Pérez del Puerto is a journalist. Follow Business information on TwitterFacebook or in our weekly newsletter
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