It is vital that migration policy is based on credible and comprehensive data and statistics. The key objective of IOM activities in the field of data collection on migration is to enhance the capacity of governments to collect reliable and comprehensive statistics and data on migration and to advance understanding of migration issues more generally.  A fundamental challenge to the application, sharing and management of migration data is that statistical data on migration, if available at all, is either dispersed among different institutions within the state and/or not comparable with statistics of other states. A major reason for this problem is that governments often lack the resources and trained personnel to develop an effective data management system.  In the context of increasing attention to migration data, both in the world and nationally, IOM, in close partnership with the Government of the Republic of Armenia, undertook an analysis of the existing sources of migration statistics in Armenia to map out key priority areas, identify existing gaps and to propose concrete practical measures which can be taken in the short and long run to enhance the quality and availability of migration data.  

The first of its kind for Armenia, the publication is intended as a technical resource for government officials, academia, think tanks, NGO-s and other stakeholders, who deal with migration policy, migration statistics and migration research.  

The key finding of the assessment is that large sets of migration-related data are already collected in the Republic of Armenia, including on the basis of invitations to foreigners, visas, border crossing records, residence status and international protection status determination. The majority of these data sources are fully computerized, and practically all data are stored in some electronic databases. 
  
The needs assessment was conducted and the report published within the framework of the “Stemming Illegal Migration in Armenia and Georgia and Enhancing Positive Effects from Legal Migration” project funded by the Italian Government.