Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

demographic timebomb

British  

noun

  1. a predicted shortage of school-leavers and consequently of available workers, caused by an earlier drop in the birth rate, resulting in an older workforce

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He adds: “It's also the case that attitudes to immigration, particularly among politicians, is also different because Scotland faces a particularly difficult demographic timebomb - there are more politicians who are likely to argue that Scotland needs immigration.”

From BBC

A second factor is the demographic timebomb in advanced economies.

From The Guardian

“Metaphors such as ‘grey tsunami’, ‘demographic cliff’ and ‘demographic timebomb’ present old age in terms of crisis,” it said, “reflecting a perception of old age and the ‘baby boomer’ generation as a societal burden.”

From The Guardian

Researchers warn of a demographic timebomb, with a dwindling workforce unable to pay the healthcare bills of the elderly, but after four decades, the policy adjustments could prove too little too late.

From Reuters

When the “demographic timebomb” announced decades ago failed to detonate, complacency set in over creeping population growth.

From Nature