First, the premium for skilled workers has been falling: a surge in secondary education has increased the supply of literate, reasonably well-schooled workers, and years of steady growth have raised relative demand for the less skilled in the formal workforce, whether as construction workers or cleaners.

ECONOMIST: An unequal continent is becoming less so

Some 85% of the new jobs created between 1970 and 1990 were filled by workers with some post-secondary education.

ECONOMIST: Immigration

It has a unique combination of cheap property, low crime, loyal workers, high levels of secondary education and now, with European funds, the ability to provide immigrant entrepreneurs with cheap start-up and development capital.

ECONOMIST: Letters