The report indicates a sustained upward trend in immigrant employment post-pandemic, suggesting that immigrants are increasingly becoming integral to the labor market in OECD countries.
The increase in family and humanitarian migration highlights the changing dynamics of immigration, moving beyond purely economic motivations to include social and humanitarian factors.
The rise in immigrant entrepreneurship points to a growing recognition of the economic contributions made by migrants, which could influence future immigration policies.
As labor shortages persist in many OECD countries, it is likely that immigration policies will continue to evolve to facilitate the entry of skilled workers.
The trend of increasing immigrant entrepreneurship may lead to more supportive measures for migrant businesses in the coming years.
Humanitarian migration may see further increases, particularly in response to global crises, influencing immigration patterns and policies.
For the second consecutive year, migratory flows in OECD countries have reached record levels, with 6.5 million new permanent immigrants in 2023, up from 6.1 million in 2022. The OECD's report highlights that around a third of its 38 member countries, including the UK, Canada, France, Japan, and Switzerland, experienced significant increases in immigration. The rise is primarily attributed to family migration, which saw a 16% increase, and humanitarian immigration, which rose by 20%. Meanwhile, labor migration remained stable, but the integration of immigrants into the labor market has reached unprecedented levels, with employment rates for immigrants hitting 71.8% and unemployment rates at a low of 7.3%.
The report emphasizes that strong labor demand in host countries has been a major factor driving migration trends over the past two years. Countries like Canada, the UK, the US, and all 27 EU nations recorded the highest immigrant employment rates ever. This trend is seen as crucial for addressing labor shortages and supporting economic growth in many OECD nations facing demographic challenges. Additionally, the share of immigrants among entrepreneurs has increased significantly over the past 15 years, with 17% of self-employed workers being migrants in 2022, compared to 11% in 2006.
