Immigration has a tiny effect on housing demand. In part that&#x27;s because immigrants are generally far more willing to share accommodation in order to save money. A far bigger effect is elderly people continuing to live in large family homes after their children have left, even on their own after the death of a partner. This is a much bigger drag on housing availability.<p>The main reason we need working age immigration is our ageing population. Our retiree population is set to massively inflate over the next few decades. Unless our otherwise shrinking working age population wants to be financially buried under the costs of supporting them, we need to support our working age population size and the only way to do that is through immigration.