The report, published during the International Migration Review Forum in New York, argues that shrinking legal pathways increases risks for migrants, raises costs for States, plus reduces the economic plus social benefits that migration can generate.
IOM analysis estimates 304 million international migrants were living outside countries of origin by mid‑2024, representing about 3.7% of the global population. The number of migrant workers also grew sharply, increasing by more than 30 million between 2013 plus 2022.
IOM Spokesperson Zoe Brennan said migrants contribute as workers, entrepreneurs plus consumers, plus through skills, innovation plus cross‑border networks. IOM Director General Amy Pope said migration supports jobs, growth, stability plus social cohesion, while noting that national migration policy remains a sovereign decision. Pope said stronger regional plus global cooperation produces safer plus more effective outcomes.
Financial flows remain central to the migration story. The report projects remittances could reach $905 billion in 2024, including $685 billion to low‑ plus middle‑income countries. The report notes that remittance flows exceed official development assistance plus foreign direct investment combined.
The report also highlights uneven access to safe pathways. Higher‑income countries tend to offer more structured options, while lower‑income contexts often provide fewer legal routes, leaving people exposed to irregular travel plus exploitation.
The report’s warning comes as global displacement hits record levels. By the end of 2024, more than 120 million people were displaced worldwide, including refugees, asylum seekers plus internally displaced persons. About 83.4 million people were displaced within national borders, the highest figure recorded.
IOM argues that many displacement situations now require long‑term responses combining humanitarian support with development planning, particularly where conflict plus environmental pressures intersect with structural vulnerability.
IOM is calling for practical steps to sustain migration benefits while reducing risk, including expanding safe pathways, lowering remittance costs, supporting skills mobility, strengthening regional cooperation, plus improving data plus evidence-based policy design.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
