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In 1998, just over 12 per cent of Australia’s population were aged 65 years and over. Population projections indicate that this percentage is likely to at least double in the next 40 years. This trend has given rise to concerns about the capacity of our economy in the future to support the older members of our society. In particular, an older population implies increased costs for aged pensions and health and aged care services.

As part of the response to this future situation, it has been suggested that we should reduce the extent or speed of ageing through changes to immigration policy. The argument is that, as immigrants are younger on average than the Australian population, an increase in the level of immigration would reduce the ageing of the population. To strengthen the case, it has also been suggested that the immigration program should recruit persons who are younger than the immigrants that enter Australia now. The call is for more and younger immigrants who have skill levels at least equal to those of immigrants at present. In addition, proponents of this position sometimes claim that immigrants have higher fertility than the Australian average, so that higher immigration would increase Australia’s birth rate and, hence, reduce ageing of the population.