Migrants, Migration, and Development

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Commentaries

June 2022

The Los Angeles Declaration Could Represent a Big Step for Real Migration Cooperation across the Americas

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other leaders at the 2022 Summit of the Americas

Freddie Everett/State Department

The Los Angeles Agreement on Migration and Protection signed by leaders from 20 countries across the Western Hemisphere at the 2022 Summit of the Americas marks a significant step forward in creating a common language and a coherent set of ideas for more cooperatively managing migration movements across a region that has seen very significant mobility in recent years, as this commentary explains.

Reports

April 2022

Destination-Country Policies to Foster Diaspora Engagement in Development

Participants in a horticultural development project, organized by the IOM Coordinating Office for th

Natalie Oren/IOM

Emigrants and their descendants can play a critical role in the development of their countries of origin or ancestry. In fact, many such countries have policies that seek to leverage their diaspora’s contributions. Much less attention has been paid to how destination countries with large international development programs are engaging their resident diasporas—or could be engaging them—in the development of countries of origin.

Reports

January 2022

The Winding Road to Marrakech: Lessons from the European Negotiations of the Global Compact for Migration

People walk along the road to the Menara Gardens in Marrakech, Morocco

Eloi_Omella/iStock.com

In the months leading up to the adoption of the Global Compact for Migration in 2018, what had been a quiet negotiation process suddenly became front-page news, drawing unprecedented public attention and sparking protests across Europe. This report explores how the compact negotiations triggered a multilayered institutional and political crisis in the European Union, and how this breakdown continues to affect EU external migration policy.

Reports

July 2021

Socioeconomic Integration of Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees: The Cases of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru

A Venezuelan family receiving assistance

Muse Mohammed/IOM

More than five years since Venezuelans began emigrating in large numbers, it is becoming clear that many plan to stay abroad for an extended time, if not permanently. How are they settling into life in key South American destination countries? This report explores their economic inclusion, access to education and health care, social cohesion, and more, and how conditions have changed amid the pandemic.

Commentaries

June 2021

Lessons from Europe: The U.S. Opportunity to Rethink the Links Between Development Assistance and Migration

Photo of woman in Central African Republic participating in cash for work program

Amanda Nero/IOM

As the United States embarks on a new strategy to address the root causes of migration and displacement from Central America, there is much that it can learn from Europe's experience in linking up migration and development aid. This commentary examines the experience of the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF), drawing five key lessons directly applicable to the situation in Central America.

Policy Briefs

May 2021

EU Strategy on Voluntary Return and Reintegration: Crafting a Road Map to Better Cooperation with Migrants’ Countries of Origin

IOM, EU, and other migration professionals on a field visit in Nigeria to talk about AVRR and other topics

Mshelia Yakubu/IOM

In its Strategy on Voluntary Return and Reintegration, the European Commission sets out principles to increase the number of voluntary returns, make the return process more dignified, and provide better support to returnees. To make good on these goals, EU countries will need to improve their cooperation with migrants’ countries of origin. This policy brief explores opportunities to build this cooperation.

Image of indigenous Warao in a canoe on the Kaituma River in Guyana

Articles

Discovery of Oil Could Bring Migrant Labor Opportunities and Climate Displacement Challenges for Guyana

The discovery of massive oil reserves off the Guyana coast will bring immense riches to this small South American country. This windfall will draw migrant labor and the return of some diaspora members to Guyana, which has one of the world's highest emigration rates. It also could accelerate climate displacement in a country where 90 percent of the population lives in coastal areas below the sea level. This article explores the changes ahead.

Image of passport page with variety of stamps

Articles

Top Statistics on Global Migration and Migrants

Looking for some of the most often-sought information on global migration? This statistics-rich article draws on the most current data sources to offer a primer on international migration, highlighting its types, the size of the migrant population and growth over time, and major sending and receiving countries and regions. Beyond looking at labor and humanitarian migrants and international students, the article examines remittances and more.

Featured

Moving Beyond Pandemic — A Podcast

Catch our new podcast, which examines the challenges facing the world as it seeks to restart travel and migration chilled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The repercussions of this dramatic halt to mobility will be profound, and will almost certainly lead to transformations that will reshape movement for the foreseeable future—maybe even permanently, as we explore.

Recent Activity

Articles October 5, 2017 Chasing the Dubai Dream in Italy: Bangladeshi Migration to Europe By Nayma Qayum	Articles July 12, 2017 The Philippines: Beyond Labor Migration, Toward Development and (Possibly) Return By Maruja M.B. Asis
Reports May 2017 Taking Stock of Refugee Resettlement: Policy Objectives, Practical Tradeoffs, and the Evidence Base By Hanne Beirens and Susan Fratzke	Reports February 2017 Reinventing Mutual Recognition Arrangements: Lessons from International Experiences and Insights for the ASEAN Region By Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza, Demetrios G. Papademetriou, Maria Vincenza Desiderio, Brian Salant, Kate Hooper and Taylor Elwood
Articles January 18, 2017 Labor Migration from Myanmar: Remittances, Reforms, and Challenges By Alex Ma	Multimedia October 26, 2016 Cooperation on Migration: The Role of the European Union in the Follow-Up to the UN Summit
Articles October 20, 2016 Maid in Hong Kong: Protecting Foreign Domestic Workers By Chenyu Liang	Books October 2016 All at Sea: The Policy Challenges of Rescue, Interception, and Long-Term Response to Maritime Migration By Kathleen Newland, Elizabeth Collett, Kate Hooper and Sarah Flamm

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Policy Briefs July 2012 Asian Labour Migrants and Humanitarian Crises: Lessons from Libya By Brian Kelly and Anita Jawadurovna Wadud	Policy Briefs June 2012 Asian Labour Migrants and Health: Exploring Policy Routes By Jaime Calderon, Barbara Rijks and Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza
Books June 2012 Developing a Road Map for Engaging Diasporas in Development: A Handbook for Policymakers and Practitioners in Home and Host Countries By Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza and Kathleen Newland	Policy Briefs May 2012 Labour Migration from Colombo Process Countries: Good Practices, Challenges and Ways Forward By Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza and Christine Aghazarm
Books April 2012 Hoja de ruta para la participación de las diásporas en el desarrollo: Un manual para políticos y profesionales de los países de origen y de acogida By Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza and Kathleen Newland	Books April 2012 Comment associer les diasporas au développement: Manuel a l’usage des decideurs et praticiens dans les pays d’origine et d’accueil By Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza and Kathleen Newland
Books November 2011 Improving the Governance of International Migration	Reports October 2011 Migration and Development Policy: What Have We Learned? By Kathleen Newland

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Audio

September 18, 2013

Preparing for the High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development

The Chair of the Global Forum on Migration and Development, along with the Special Advisor to the UN Special Representative for International Migration discuss what is expected from The UN High-Level Dialogue on Migration and Development in October 2013 and what impact it may have on the Global Forum on Migration and Development.

Audio

September 17, 2013

Engaging Diaspora Talent: How Countries Can Integrate their Diaspora and Development Agendas

Diaspora engagement has become a key and accepted component in the arsenal of development strategies. The question of how to effectively and efficiently harness the force of a country’s diaspora through government intervention and policy remains one that many governments and international organizations must grapple with.

Video, Audio

May 9, 2013

Stranded Migrants: A New Challenge for the International Community

With global mobility on the rise, the international community is finally grappling with the challenge of stranded migrants, which is one of the main agenda items for the High-level Dialogue on Migration and Development in the UN General Assembly in October 2013.

Audio

April 25, 2013

Sharing Lessons, Sharing Responsibility: Combating Human Trafficking

This MPI event discussed the Dutch model for fighting human trafficking and the strategic and operational dilemmas that public prosecutors in the Netherlands face.

Video, Audio

January 14, 2013

A Bleak Winter: Providing Needed Aid to Those Fleeing Conflict in Syria

A delegation of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) visited Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, and Iraq in late November to discuss the humanitarian crisis with refugees, officials from host and donor governments, representatives of international humanitarian organizations and local nongovernmental agencies; and to get a firsthand look at the work of IRC partners and staff who are directly involved in providing assistance to the refugees and to Syrians trapped inside the country.

Recent Activity

Articles

October 5, 2017

Chasing the Dubai Dream in Italy: Bangladeshi Migration to Europe

Bangladeshis in 2017 suddenly emerged as one of the top migrant groups entering Europe illegally. While Europe is a new destination, Bangladeshi labor migration has been an important part of the country's development since the 1970s, with growing numbers heading abroad, largely to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. This article explores and contextualizes the new phenomenon of Bangladeshi migration to Europe.

Articles

July 12, 2017

The Philippines: Beyond Labor Migration, Toward Development and (Possibly) Return

In the Philippines, a pervasive culture of migration has led millions to seek opportunities abroad, particularly since an economic downturn in the 1970s. The government has long embraced exporting labor as official economic policy, but over time, the focus has shifted: first to protecting workers overseas and much more recently to linking migration and development. This article explores the evolution of Filipino migration policy and trends.

Reports

May 2017

Taking Stock of Refugee Resettlement: Policy Objectives, Practical Tradeoffs, and the Evidence Base

With displacement at a record high, governments around the world are looking for ways to jumpstart, expand, or maximize the impact of their refugee resettlement programs. Yet the evidence base regarding the effectiveness of such programs is particularly thin. This report maps the gaps in knowledge that exist and identifies areas where further research could help inform policymakers' actions.

Reports

February 2017

Reinventing Mutual Recognition Arrangements: Lessons from International Experiences and Insights for the ASEAN Region

As Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States work to facilitate the movement of professionals, the experiences of other countries hold promise for policymakers and licensing bodies in Southeast Asia as they deepen implementation of mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) that seek to establish a uniform and transparent way of recognizing the qualifications of foreign workers. This report offers key lessons.

Articles

January 18, 2017

Labor Migration from Myanmar: Remittances, Reforms, and Challenges

Having emerged from a long era of military rule, Myanmar's leaders and many citizens are looking outward. In particular, with Burmese labor migration abroad on the rise, policymakers are examining ways in which to harness remittances as a vehicle for economic development, particularly in impoverished rural areas. This article explores Burmese labor migration flows, financial reforms, and challenges on migration and development.

Audio

October 26, 2016

Cooperation on Migration: The Role of the European Union in the Follow-Up to the UN Summit

One month ago, world leaders gathered at the United Nations for a summit to discuss movements of refugees and migrants, however the absence of concrete commitments in the resulting New York Declaration disappointed many observers and the slow progress on multilateral cooperation around migration has particular salience for the European Union, since the arrival of more than 1 million asylum seekers to Europe in 2015. This panel brings officials together from a range of institutions mandated to consider the future of cooperation, whether bilaterally, regionally, or at the global level, and asks: What is possible, what is desirable, and what is likely?

Articles

October 20, 2016

Maid in Hong Kong: Protecting Foreign Domestic Workers

Hong Kong is home to more than 340,000 foreign domestic workers, who can be found in one of every seven households. Despite efforts by the governments of Hong Kong and top sending countries, these workers remain uniquely vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. This article examines the conditions foreign domestic workers face, the policies governing their employment, and the challenges in protecting their rights.

Books

October, 2016

All at Sea: The Policy Challenges of Rescue, Interception, and Long-Term Response to Maritime Migration

With maritime migration the subject of significant policy and public focus in Europe, Australia, and beyond, this timely volume reviews the policy responses to irregular maritime arrivals at regional, national, and international levels. The book includes case studies of the major global hotspots—the Mediterranean, Gulf of Aden, Bay of Bengal/Andaman Sea, Australia, and the Caribbean—and examines trends and policy responses.

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