Global migration hits record high in 2023, sparking backlash against governments

Legal migration to the world’s wealthiest nations reached unprecedented levels in 2023, with approximately 6.5 million people migrating to the 38 OECD countries through permanent routes, marking a 10% increase over the previous record of 6 million in 2022.

This surge was most notable in the UK, which, for the first time, became the second-largest recipient of migrants after the US, with net immigration reaching 750,000, largely driven by recruitment in the care sector, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Jean-Christophe Dumont, head of the OECD’s migration division, explained that the increase reflected strong demand for foreign workers and international students, as well as a recovery from pandemic-related disruptions. A third of OECD countries, including Canada, France, and Japan, recorded record levels of immigration, while the US received 1.2 million permanent migrants.

Economists believe that migration has played a crucial role in helping wealthy economies rebound from the inflationary pressures that followed the pandemic and the Ukraine crisis. However, the public has focused on the growing scale of migration, especially irregular asylum seekers, which although a small portion of the overall figures, have sparked voter backlash. This backlash led to electoral defeats for several incumbent governments in OECD nations, including the US, where President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on promises to restrict undocumented migration.

The number of asylum seekers in OECD countries rose by 30%, reaching a new high of 2.7 million, largely due to a spike in arrivals from Venezuela, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Haiti. The US alone received over a million asylum applications, surpassing the total number for all European OECD countries combined.

In the US, immigration has contributed significantly to workforce growth, helping rebalance the labour market with minimal economic cost, according to Goldman Sachs. However, a potential curtailment of immigration, particularly under Trump’s administration, could slow growth and drive up inflation, warned Morgan Stanley.

Meanwhile, some countries traditionally receiving high numbers of migrants have started tightening entry regulations. Canada, Australia, and the UK have implemented measures to limit work-related migration, with Canada introducing caps on temporary residents. Additionally, these countries are reconsidering their policies toward international students, whose rising numbers have exacerbated housing pressures.

Despite these changes, Dumont emphasized that many nations, especially those facing aging populations, will struggle to reduce legal migration as they continue to rely on foreign workers to sustain economic growth.