Migration flows and immigrant employment hit record levels in 2023, says OECD

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.

For the second consecutive year, migratory flows reached “record levels, but not out of control”written in a report published Thursday, November 14Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)which recorded 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 OECD. 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”continues the organization.

Ten countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as all 27 EU countries, have identified “highest immigrant employment rates ever recorded”. 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.