The burden placed on public health spending is likely to depend on the relative
health of immigrants. Evidence from many sources suggests that immigrants are
typically healthier than natives on arrival, unsurprisingly if the economic gains from
migration are greater for those in good health. Antecol and Bedard (2006) show that
in the US this advantage erodes over time as immigrants assimilate to native-born
health levels, even as their economic position improves with duration of stay. Chiswick
et al. (2008) find similarly and McDonald and Kennedy (2004) show the same for
Canada. It would be surprising if rates of use of public health services were dramatically
different between immigrants and natives and Wadsworth (2013) finds no difference
in use of hospital or GP services by immigrants and natives in either the UK or
Germany while Laroche (2000) finds the same in Canada.