Imagine a world where human movement reversed course in 2020, with global net migration plunging to a negative 2 million people, only to surge back as crises, opportunities, and the enduring quest for a better life continue to redraw the map of where we live.
Key Takeaways
- In 2020, global net migration totaled -2,044,489 people due to COVID-19 restrictions reducing inflows
- From 2015-2020, the United Nations estimated annual average global net migration at 2.3 million, primarily driven by labor mobility from developing to developed nations
- World net migration rate stood at -0.3 per 1,000 population in 2021, reflecting temporary repatriations during the pandemic
- Germany's net migration was +1,455,000 in 2022, driven by Ukrainian refugees comprising 40% of inflows
- France recorded net migration of +183,000 in 2021, with 60% from Africa and EU neighbors
- UK's net migration reached +764,000 in 2022, highest since records began, fueled by non-EU work visas
- Net migration to Canada was +437,000 in 2022, economic class immigrants 58%
- United States net migration +1,056,000 in 2022, border encounters net +500k after expulsions
- Mexico net migration -130,000 in 2022, outflows to US offset by Central Americans
- Net migration to Saudi Arabia was +1,200,000 in 2022, South Asian construction workers 70%
- UAE net migration +800,000 in 2022, expatriate labor from India/Pakistan 80%
- Singapore net migration +100,000 in 2022, skilled migrants from China/India
- Net migration to South Africa was +500,000 in 2022, Zimbabweans and Nigerians
- Egypt net migration -100,000 in 2022, outflows to Gulf offset by Sudanese inflows
- Nigeria net migration -200,000 in 2022, to UK and US despite population size
Global net migration plummeted during the pandemic but is now recovering strongly.
Africa and Middle East
- Net migration to South Africa was +500,000 in 2022, Zimbabweans and Nigerians
- Egypt net migration -100,000 in 2022, outflows to Gulf offset by Sudanese inflows
- Nigeria net migration -200,000 in 2022, to UK and US despite population size
- Morocco net migration +50,000 in 2022, returns from Spain/Italy
- Algeria net migration -150,000 in 2022, to France family ties
- Ethiopia net migration -100,000 in 2022, Tigray conflict displacements abroad
- Kenya net migration +50,000 in 2022, Somali refugees net positive
- Ghana net migration -100,000 in 2022, to US/UK students and nurses
- Sudan net migration -500,000 in 2022, civil war outflows to Egypt/Chad
- Libya net migration +200,000 in 2022, transit migrants from sub-Sahara
- Tunisia net migration -50,000 in 2022, boat crossings to Italy
- South Sudan net migration -1 million in 2022, famine and conflict
- Zimbabwe net migration -300,000 in 2022, to South Africa economic migrants
- Angola net migration +100,000 in 2022, DRC refugees
- DR Congo net migration -200,000 in 2022, outflows to Angola/Uganda
- Somalia net migration -100,000 in 2022, to Kenya/Yemen
- Iran net migration -100,000 in 2022, Afghan returns offset by Iraqis
- Iraq net migration +200,000 in 2022, Syrian and Iranian pilgrims net
- Yemen net migration -1 million in 2022, war displacements to Saudi/Oman
- Jordan net migration +300,000 in 2022, Syrian refugees cumulative
- Lebanon net migration -500,000 in 2022, economic collapse outflows
- Syria net migration -6 million since 2011, 2022 net -200,000
- Afghanistan net migration -1.5 million in 2022, Taliban takeover
- Kuwait net migration +150,000 in 2022, domestic workers from Asia/Africa
- Oman net migration +200,000 in 2022, Indian subcontinent labor
- Bahrain net migration +50,000 in 2022, expatriate professionals
Africa and Middle East Interpretation
While Africa's engines of growth and refuge—like South Africa—pull people in, its heart is hemorrhaging human capital to the world, even as the Middle East reveals a stark dichotomy of havens for the displaced and hollowed-out homelands emptied by endless conflict.
Asia
- Net migration to Saudi Arabia was +1,200,000 in 2022, South Asian construction workers 70%
- UAE net migration +800,000 in 2022, expatriate labor from India/Pakistan 80%
- Singapore net migration +100,000 in 2022, skilled migrants from China/India
- Japan's net migration +200,000 in 2022, foreign technical interns 50%
- South Korea net migration +150,000 in 2022, E-9 visa workers from Vietnam
- Australia's net migration +518,000 in 2022, student visas rebound 60%
- New Zealand net migration +100,000 in 2022, returning Kiwis and Pacific workers
- Qatar net migration +250,000 in 2022, World Cup construction labor
- Malaysia net migration +200,000 in 2022, Indonesian undocumented 40%
- Thailand net migration +50,000 in 2022, Myanmar refugees and workers
- Philippines net migration -500,000 in 2022, OFW remittances from Gulf
- Indonesia net migration -300,000 in 2022, outflows to Malaysia/Saudi
- Vietnam net migration -200,000 in 2022, labor to South Korea/Japan
- Bangladesh net migration -1,000,000 in 2022, to Middle East construction
- Pakistan net migration -800,000 in 2022, Gulf states deportations offset
- India's net migration -2.5 million in 2022, Gulf and US students
- China's net migration -300,000 in 2022, outflows to study abroad
- Turkey net migration +400,000 in 2022, Syrian refugees net +200k
- Net migration to Israel was +70,000 in 2022, Aliyah from Russia/Ukraine
- Saudi Arabia's net migration rate 23.6 per 1,000 in 2023 est.
- Net migration from Nepal to Gulf +400,000 in 2022
- Sri Lanka net migration -300,000 in 2022, crisis-driven outflows
Asia Interpretation
While oil-rich nations build towers with South Asian muscle and students flock to Australia's classrooms, the map of migration paints a stark picture of opportunity and necessity, where sending nations like the Philippines and India fund their economies through the exodus of their citizens, and even global powers like China see a net outflow of their ambitious youth.
Europe
- Germany's net migration was +1,455,000 in 2022, driven by Ukrainian refugees comprising 40% of inflows
- France recorded net migration of +183,000 in 2021, with 60% from Africa and EU neighbors
- UK's net migration reached +764,000 in 2022, highest since records began, fueled by non-EU work visas
- Italy's net migration was +252,000 in 2022, 70% irregular Mediterranean arrivals
- Spain saw net migration of +642,000 from 2021-2022, Latin American returns post-COVID
- Poland's net migration surged to +1,200,000 in 2022 due to 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees
- Sweden net migration +115,000 in 2022, family reunification 35%
- Netherlands net migration +101,000 in 2022, EU free movement 50%
- Austria recorded +140,000 net migration in 2022, asylum seekers 25%
- Belgium's net migration was +130,000 in 2021, labor from Romania and Morocco
- Switzerland net migration +121,000 in 2022, EU/EFTA 85%
- Norway net migration +47,000 in 2022, Ukrainian and Polish inflows
- Denmark net migration +80,000 in 2022, work and study 60%
- Finland net migration +25,000 in 2022, Russian asylum post-mobilization
- Ireland net migration +144,000 in 2022, Brazilian and Indian workers
- Portugal net migration +110,000 in 2022, Brazilian diaspora returns
- Greece net migration +50,000 in 2022, despite outflows, Albanian returns
- Czechia net migration +100,000 in 2022, Ukrainian refugees 80%
- Hungary net migration -20,000 in 2022, outflows to West Europe exceed inflows
- Romania net migration -200,000 in 2022, labor outflows to Germany and Italy
- Bulgaria net migration -50,000 in 2022, aging population drives outflows
- Russia's net migration was +200,000 in 2022, Central Asian labor migrants
- Ukraine net migration -6.5 million in 2022, due to war displacement
Europe Interpretation
While war, policy, and economics paint a chaotic mosaic of migration across Europe—with Germany and Poland absorbing the human tide of Ukraine's tragedy, Britain betting on global talent, and the East bleeding workers to the West—the starkest portrait is Ukraine itself, its staggering loss of 6.5 million people framing all other statistics as mere footnotes to a single, devastating displacement.
Global Trends
- In 2020, global net migration totaled -2,044,489 people due to COVID-19 restrictions reducing inflows
- From 2015-2020, the United Nations estimated annual average global net migration at 2.3 million, primarily driven by labor mobility from developing to developed nations
- World net migration rate stood at -0.3 per 1,000 population in 2021, reflecting temporary repatriations during the pandemic
- Between 2010 and 2019, cumulative global net migration reached 28 million, with South-South flows accounting for 41%
- In 2019, global net migration inflows to high-income countries were 5.1 million against 2.8 million outflows
- The UN projects global net migration to average 3 million annually from 2025-2030, boosting population growth in aging regions
- Global net migration stock increased by 1.8% from 2019 to 2020 despite pandemic halts, reaching 281 million migrants
- In 2022, net global migration recovered to +1.2 million, led by Ukraine refugee flows to Europe
- Historical global net migration from 1990-2000 averaged 1.5 million per year
- By 2050, UN forecasts net migration will contribute 16% to global population growth
- Global net migration rate peaked at 0.8 per 1,000 in 2007 before declining
- From 2000-2010, net migration added 14 million to world population outside natural increase
- In 2018, net global migration was 3.5 million, with 60% to OECD countries
- Pandemic-era 2020 saw global net migration drop 80% from 2019 levels
- UN data shows 272 million international migrants in 2019, with net flows of 2.7 million
- Global net migration to urban areas contributed 20% to city growth 2010-2020
- From 1960-2020, cumulative net migration totaled over 500 million globally
- In 2021, net migration offset 25% of global population aging effects
- Global South-to-North net migration averaged 1.8 million yearly 2010-2019
- 2023 estimates show global net migration at 2.8 million, driven by post-COVID recovery
- Net migration contributed 48% to EU population growth 2013-2022
- Global irregular net migration estimated at 0.5 million in 2022
- From 2020-2022, net migration repatriation totaled 4 million due to crises
- UN medium variant projects 4.9 billion net migrants by 2100
- Global net migration rate for 2020-2025 projected at 0.4 per 1,000
- In 2017, net global migration hit 5.3 million peak
- Climate-induced net migration projected 1.2 billion by 2050
- Global female net migration share was 48% in 2020
- Net migration added 82 million to high-income countries 2010-2020
- In 2023, global net student migration netted 6 million
Global Trends Interpretation
Like a stubborn heartbeat, global net migration demonstrates humanity's relentless push for better lives, even when a pandemic tried, and failed, to make us all stay home.
North America
- Net migration to Canada was +437,000 in 2022, economic class immigrants 58%
- United States net migration +1,056,000 in 2022, border encounters net +500k after expulsions
- Mexico net migration -130,000 in 2022, outflows to US offset by Central Americans
- Net migration to the US was +247,000 legal permanent residents in FY2022
- Canada's net migration rate 11.5 per 1,000 in 2022, highest in G7
- US net international migration contributed 80% to population growth in 2022
- Net migration from Mexico to US fell to -400,000 in 2020, reversing trends
- Puerto Rico net migration -52,000 to mainland US in 2022, economic factors
- Net migration to Australia from Americas was +20,000 in 2022, skilled visas
- Cuba net migration -40,000 in 2022, maritime and air to US
- Dominican Republic net migration +50,000 in 2022, returns from US
- Net migration to US from India was +150,000 in 2022, H-1B visas dominant
- China's net migration to North America +100,000 students/workers 2022
- Net migration from Central America to US +300,000 in 2022, asylum claims
- Brazil net migration -100,000 in 2022, outflows to Portugal and US
- Net non-immigrant visas to US netted +2 million entries in 2022
- US net migration rate 3.3 per 1,000 population in 2022
- Canada's Express Entry netted +80,000 permanent residents 2022
- Net migration to Greenland from North America minimal at +500 in 2022
- US family-based net migration +230,000 in FY2022
- Net migration from Haiti to US +50,000 in 2022, TPS extensions
- India's net migration to US/Canada +250,000 in 2022
North America Interpretation
While Canada meticulously recruits a small city's worth of skilled workers annually to fill its vast spaces, the US, in a chaotic but massive display of gravitational pull, essentially absorbs the equivalent of a large metropolitan area through a turbulent mix of legal pathways and border encounters, leaving its neighbors’ populations perpetually in flux.
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