World Migration Report 2024: Chapter 4 – Growing migration inequality: What do the global data actually show?

This chapter first appeared in the World Migration Report 2022 and has been included in this edition due to the high demand for presentations of its analysis which underscores the importance of regular migration pathways.

The chapter examines the questions of “who migrates internationally, and where do they go?” It analyses diverse statistical data and draws upon some of the existing body of research on migration determinants and decision-making. It shows a growing “mobility inequality”, with most international migration now occurring between rich countries to the increasing exclusion of poorer countries.

Analysis of international migrant stock and human development index data show that between 1995 and 2020, migration from low- and medium-development countries increased, but only slightly, reconfirming existing macroeconomic analyses showing that international migration from low-income countries has historically been limited.