Permanent migration to OECD countries surged to a new record in 2023, with 6.5 million people arriving, according to the latest OECD International Migration Outlook 2024 report, released on Thursday (Paris time). Alongside permanent migration, both temporary migration and asylum-seeking applications also saw significant increases.
The report highlights that family migration (+18%) and humanitarian migration (+20%) were major drivers of the increase in permanent migration, while permanent labor migration remained steady at just under 1.2 million workers, the same level as 2022.
Around a third of OECD countries experienced record immigration levels in 2023, including Canada, France, Japan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. However, another third, including Denmark, Israel, Italy, and New Zealand, saw a decline in inflows.
OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann noted that “buoyant labor demand” has been a key factor behind the rise in migration, particularly as many OECD countries face labor shortages and demographic changes. Cormann emphasized that expanding labor migration channels is essential to managing both labor gaps and irregular migration.
Temporary labor migration also rose sharply, with over 2.4 million work permits granted across OECD countries, a 16% increase compared to 2022 and 28% higher than pre-pandemic levels. The overall employment rate in OECD countries remained at historic highs, with immigrant employment rates reaching record levels in countries such as Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
The number of new asylum seekers also hit a record in 2023, with 2.7 million applications registered, up 30% from the previous year. Notably, the U.S. saw more than 1 million asylum applications, surpassing European OECD countries combined. The main countries of origin for asylum seekers included Venezuela, Colombia, Syria, and Afghanistan.
In addition to these trends, the OECD report spotlighted the growing role of migrant entrepreneurship. Migrants now make up 17% of the self-employed in OECD countries, up from 11% in 2006. This shift has contributed to job creation, with an estimated 2 additional jobs created for every 10 new migrants in the working-age population. From 2011 to 2021, migrant entrepreneurs added nearly 4 million jobs across 25 OECD countries.
The OECD, a global policy forum, continues to work with over 100 countries to promote policies that improve the economic and social well-being of people worldwide.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
