WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Financial contributions from migrants remain substantial, and remittances are projected to reach $905 billion, including $685 billion to low and middle-income countries, says the new World Migration Report.
Restricting migration does not stop people from moving. It often pushes them into more dangerous routes.
That is a central finding of the World Migration Report 2026, released by the International Organization for Migration.The report examines how safe and regular migration pathways shape economies, societies, and communities worldwide.
IOM's flagship publication brings together global data and analysis to help policymakers and the public better understand migration trends.
This year's report, published during the International Migration Review Forum in New York, finds that limiting legal pathways increases risks for migrants, raises costs for States, and reduces the broader benefits migration can provide.
Migration continues to play a major role in the global economy. By mid-2024, there were an estimated 304 million international migrants, about 3.7 percent of the world's population. The number of migrant workers has also grown significantly, increasing by more than 30 million between 2013 and 2022.
'Migrants contribute as workers, entrepreneurs and consumers, and through the skills, innovation and connections they bring across borders' said IOM spokesperson Zoe Brennan.
'Across the world, migration helps drive jobs, economic growth, stability and social cohesion,' said IOM Director General Amy Pope.
She noted that while countries have the right to set their own migration policies, cooperation at regional and global levels leads to safer and better outcomes.
Despite these benefits, access to migration opportunities remains, the report says. More pathways are available in higher income countries, while options remain limited in lower income contexts. Migration patterns also vary significantly across regions, underscoring that there is no single global migration story.
Meanwhile, these trends come as global displacement reaches record levels. By the end of 2024, more than 120 million people were displaced worldwide, including refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons. 83.4 million individuals were displaced within their own countries, the highest number ever recorded.
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