Therefore, immigration from countries with strong demographics has intensified and
the presence of high numbers of immigrant workers in the wealthier societies will be a
constant in the next decades.
Such transnational flows, although necessary, will not be enough to keep the active
population at the required levels to assure some economic growth. In some countries
the problem has achieved such levels that the proportion of immigrants in relation to
the native population would lead to an inevitable xenophobic reaction by the latter.2 On
the other hand, the demographic surplus of the countries of origin will tend to decrease
as a consequence of their own economic development and population ageing.
Therefore, it appears inevitable that raising the retirement age, despite unpopular
(mainly amidst older workers), is unavoidable and justified, since "healthy longevity"
has been continuously increasing: the great majority of individuals reaches the current
age of retirement in good health and in conditions to continue working, and that will
remain so for some time.
Very likely with the extension of working years, the transition to retirement will
become more gradual, with a progressive reduction in work time and alternating
periods of remunerated professional activity and periods of inactivity. This
phenomenon appears to already be under way, fuelled by necessity: in the United
States, the unemployment rate in the age group between 65 and 74 was 18.5% in
2003, compared to only 5.6% in the European Union, where there is a higher level of
social protection.
This transition will be followed by change and diversification of the bond between the
organization and the worker. The individual will transition from the status of dependent
worker permanently integrated in the work force core to the status of temporary