Creating Inclusive Urban Economies for Migrants and Refugees

Cities are magnets for innovation, job creation, and economic growth. They are also home to the majority of international migrants and refugees worldwide. Ensuring that all urban residents, including migrants and refugees, can participate fully in local economies will be key to sustaining economic dynamism and growth in the decades ahead.

With the right conditions, migrants and refugees can contribute significantly to urban economies, including by helping fill labor shortages, starting businesses, paying taxes, and increasing consumer spending. The question for city leaders and their partners is how to create these conditions.

This report, by MPI and the Mayors Migration Council, highlights a range of local experiences in supporting urban economic inclusion, drawing in part on consultations with city officials, civil-society actors, and migrants and refugees from cities in around the world, with a particular focus on Asia, East Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Among other topics, the study examines common barriers to economic inclusion, the importance of closing data gaps, and a wide variety of promising city-led programs.