Who migrates?
Who migrates?
The number of international migrants has grown from around 161 million globally in 1995 to 281 million in 2020, although when global population growth is factored in, the proportion of international migrants has only inched up from 2.8 to 3.6 per cent of the world’s population. Over the past 20 years, the gender gap among these migrants has widened; in 2000, the male to female split was 50.6 to 49.4 per cent, but by 2020, the split was 51.9 to 48.1 per cent.
While absolute numbers of immigrants have increased by tens of millions across all regions, the share of international migrants as a proportion of each region’s population has only marginally increased in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, while Europe, Northern America and Oceania have seen the proportion of international migrants rise by around 4 percentage points or more in each. Current data illustrates differences not only across regions but also across various levels of development within countries. Most international migrants (79.6% or 190 million) reside in countries with a very high Human Development Index (HDI). As will be further explored in this module, the overwhelming majority of people migrate internationally for reasons related to work, family and study — involving migration processes that largely occur without fundamentally challenging migrants themselves or the countries they enter. In contrast, other people leave their homes and countries for a range of compelling and sometimes tragic reasons, such as conflict, persecution and disaster. While those who have been displaced across borders, such as refugees, comprise a relatively small percentage of all international migrants, they are often the most in need of assistance and support. This is also the case of those displaced within their own countries— internally displaced persons (IDPs)- who are sometimes considered internal migrants.
Conflating ‘migration’ and ‘migrant’
To migrate is to move; it involves action. In contrast, a migrant is a person described as such for one or more reasons, depending on the context. While in many cases, “migrants” do undertake some form of migration, this is not always the case. In some situations, people who have never undertaken migration may be referred to as migrants – children of people born overseas, for example, are commonly called second or third-generation migrants.
Research and analysis on the topic
- Global Overview (WMR 2022, Ch. 2)
- Global Overview (WMR 2024, Ch. 2)
- Growing Migration Inequality WMR 2024, Ch. 4
Videos
Explaining refugees, asylum seekers and IDPs
Refugee (1951 Convention): A person who, owing to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.
Asylum Seeker: An individual who is seeking international protection. In countries with individualized procedures, an asylum seeker is someone whose claim has not yet been finally decided on by the country in which he or she has submitted it. Not every asylum seeker will be recognized as a refugee.
Internally Displaced Persons: Persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized State border.
Source: IOM Glossary, 2019.
Reflection questions
According to the table “Immigrants by United Nations region, 1995 and 2020”, in which region the share of international migrants as a proportion of the population has increased the most?
Read the PDF file on the Migration Data Portal webpage (Migration and Human Mobility: Key Global Figures)
- Percentage who are children
- Percentage and number who labor migrants
- Total refugees and asylum seekers
- Percentage of female migrants
- Number of new internal displacements
In your own words, explain the difference between a refugee, asylum seeker, and internally displaced person?