Global Program
The Global Program acts as a policy laboratory for innovative, evidence-based, and politically feasible solutions to migration policy challenges. From direct policy advice to deep comparative research, its work interrogates policy design and effectiveness, helps countries newer to immigration learn from innovation and evidence in other regions, and anticipates how demographic, economic, and technological shifts will reshape migration in the years ahead. It supports governments in responding to crises with greater coordination and foresight, and provides a trusted off-the-record space for engaging with sensitive topics. Its main geographical focus is Europe, the Americas, and Australia, but it increasingly works with governments and other partners worldwide, including in East Africa and Asia. For more on the Global Program, click here.
Featured
Population Aging Is Here. Immigration Can Offer Half an Answer.
Immigration on its own cannot solve population aging, but five policy principles can help it play a more effective role in a broader demographic…
Creating Inclusive Urban Economies for Migrants and Refugees
Cities hold powerful levers to turn migrants' and refugees' underused talent into economic growth—but doing so requires moving beyond first…
More Featured Work
Key Statistics
International migrants comprise 3.7 percent of the global population. Learn more about them
304.0 million
The number of migrants globally in 2024
50.6 million
The number who as of 2025 were refugees or asylum seekers
94.0 million
The number of international migrants in Europe—the top destination globally
Showing 71–80 of 696 results
Coordination Breakdown: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Migration in Europe
COVID-19 disrupted migration across Europe, exposing coordination failures. The EU Digital COVID Certificate offers a model for future crisis preparedness.
Diverging Paths: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Migration in the Middle East and North Africa
COVID-19 sharpened divides in the MENA region: The mass departure of migrant workers allowed high-income Gulf states to pursue labor reforms, while North Africa and Lebanon faced compounding crises.
Mobility Shutdown: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Migration in Asia and the Pacific
COVID-19 caused a prolonged mobility shutdown across Asia and the Pacific, devastating labor markets, tourism, and education. Migrants bore disproportionate burdens.
Lessons from COVID-19: Managing Borders in the Next Global Public-Health Crisis
COVID-19 gave rise to a complex web of mobility restrictions and exemptions, yet governments moved on without extracting key lessons. Several principles can make border management smarter next time.
Converging Crises: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Migration in South America
COVID-19 border closures deepened migrants' precarity in South America, excluding millions of displaced Venezuelans from jobs, legal status, and social protections in their host countries.
As Europe and the United States Face Similar Migration Challenges, Spain Can Act as a Bridge
Spain and the United States both receive their greatest number of immigrants from Latin America, and have worked collaboratively together on displacement crises and other migration issues. As shared immigration challenges dominate debate on both sides of the Atlantic, Spain can serve as a vital bridge in the policy conversation, this commentary notes.
Leaving No One Behind: Inclusive Fintech for Remittances
Migrants remitted US$ 860 billion in 2023, yet fintech’s promise to cut remittance costs and broaden inclusion has been limited by access, digital literacy, and fraud risks.
The Mobility Key: Realizing the Potential of Refugee Travel Documents
Without usable travel documents, refugees are locked out of work, study, and family reunion. A stronger document ecosystem could ease pressure on the global protection system.
Expanding Protection Options? Flexible Approaches to Status for Displaced Syrians, Venezuelans, and Ukrainians
Flexible protections for displaced Syrians, Venezuelans, and Ukrainians show temporary status can work at scale, but durable solutions remain elusive for millions.
Consolidating Gains: Lessons and Priorities for Promoting Fair and Ethical Recruitment
A decade of norm-setting on fair recruitment has yet to protect most migrant workers from excessive fees. The next frontier is enforcement, not advocacy.
