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How Caregiver Migration Reshapes Two Economies
Description
Episode 10 of The Demographics Podcast examines the economic double-edged sword of caregiver migration. Lucas and Luna focus on the Philippines and the United States — two countries at opposite ends of the care chain. The Philippines sends over 200,000 nurses and caregivers abroad each year, generating $35 billion in remittances but leaving its own aging population underserved. The U.S. relies on foreign-born workers for nearly one-third of its direct-care workforce, yet immigration policy doesn't reflect that reality. The episode digs into the specific numbers: the Filipino nurse-to-population ratio, the wage gap for home health aides, and what happens when both sides of the equation feel the strain. A concrete look at how one demographic pressure — caregiving — creates a quiet economic loop between sending and receiving countries.