In this article, written from the perspective of a policy maker rather than an academic researcher, I review the arguments that are made in favor of and in opposition to immigration. One means by which governments in many immigrant-receiving countries have attempted to finesse these debates in recent years is by emphasizing the skilled character of the immigrants chosen to fill national labor market needs. A consideration of some of the central issues facing policy makers is followed by a proposed list of issues that could be of mutual interest to policy practitioners and psychological researchers alike. The article concludes with a brief review of the articles in this volume, highlighting some of the findings that are likely to be of particular interest to the policy community. © 2010 The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues.

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labor migration immigration policy labor market policy making psychology immigrant population