For the second year in a row, migratory flows are reaching “record levels, but are not out of control”, wrote in a report published Thursday by the OECD, which counted 6.5 million new permanent immigrants in 2023 (compared to 6 .1 in 2022).
Around a third of the 38 OECD countries saw record levels of immigration in 2023, particularly the United Kingdom, but also Canada, France, Japan and Switzerland.
Most of the increase is due to family migration (+16%), but humanitarian immigration (+20%) is also on the rise, notes the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Labor migration has remained stable. However, according to this survey, “the integration of immigrants into the labor market continues to reach unprecedented levels”.
“The post-pandemic upward trend in immigrant employment continued in 2023, with the OECD overall recording historically high employment levels and low unemployment levels, at 71.8% and 7.3 %, respectively,” the organization continues.
Ten countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as all 27 EU countries, recorded “the highest immigrant employment rates on record.”
“The strong demand for labor in host countries has been one of the main drivers of migration over the past two years,” explains the director of employment and labor at the OECD, Stefano Scarpetta.
“In many OECD countries facing widespread labor shortages and looming demographic changes, increasing numbers of migrant workers have contributed to sustained economic growth,” it continues.
The weight of immigrants among entrepreneurs has increased considerably in OECD countries over the last 15 years. In 2022, 17% of self-employed workers were on average migrants, compared to 11% in 2006, notes the report.
“Improving the accessibility and availability of professional migration pathways not only helps address labor shortages, but is also essential to strengthen overall control of flows and manage irregular migration,” Mr. Scarpetta also insists. .
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