Highlights from the World Migration Report 2024
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) released its “World Migration Report 2024” on May 7th, 2024, revealing that India received over USD 111 billion in remittances in 2022, making it the first country to surpass the USD 100 billion mark in remittances globally. The total global remittances increased dramatically from USD 128 billion in 2000 to USD 831 billion in 2022.
Global Remittance Rankings
India topped the global remittance receipts, followed by Mexico with USD 61.10 billion and China with USD 51 billion. The Philippines and France also featured prominently on this list. Among South Asian countries, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh were noted as significant remittance recipients.
Migration and Employment Trends
The report highlighted that migrants from regions like India and Bangladesh primarily work in construction, hospitality, and other service sectors. Gulf countries remain popular destinations for migrant workers, with high percentages of the populations in UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar being migrants.
Education and Migration Dynamics
The USA leads as the top destination for internationally mobile students, with significant numbers coming from China and India. The report also noted gender dynamics in migration, with more female migrants in countries like the U.S. and Canada, and predominantly male emigrants from India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
India’s Migration Landscape
India is identified as the largest source of international migrants, with nearly 18 million people, or 1.3% of its population, living abroad. The country also ranks as the 13th most popular destination for immigrants globally, hosting 4.48 million people from various countries. Key migration corridors include India to the UAE, USA, Saudi Arabia, and Bangladesh.
About the International Organization for Migration (IOM)
The IOM, established in 1951 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, is led by Director General Amy Pope. It includes 175 member states and eight observer states, focusing on migration issues globally.