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This paper compares the benefits that migrants obtain from the welfare system with their contribution. We show that the immigration impact on the welfare system largely depends on the methodology used. Thus, when we compare at a given date the global contribution to the public budget with all transfers received, immigrants appear relatively favored by the redistributive system. However, the global impact of immigration on public finance is slightly positive in the long run given the perpetual provision of working age people as well as the consideration of the net contribution of migrants’ offspring.Classification JEL:E62, F22, H6