Global Presence of International Migrants (IMs) in 2022
- IMs accounted for 4.7% of the global labour force in 2022, equating to 167.7 million workers.
- This marks a 30 million increase from 2013.
- The total number of IMs consists of 155.6 million employed and 12.1 million unemployed but available for work.
- Growth rate of IMs slowed to less than 1% annually from 2019 to 2022, influenced by the pandemic and related economic disruptions.
Relevance : GS 2(Social Issues)
Age and Gender Distribution
- Male IMs constituted 61.3% of total international migrant workers employed.
- Female IMs were 38.7% employed, despite representing 64.9 million in the overall migrant population.
- The gender gap exists due to lower female representation in the overall migrant population, even though the number of female IMs has steadily increased since 2015.
- Prime-age workers (aged 25-54) made up 74.9% of IMs, with the majority employed in this age range.
- Youth workers (aged 15-24) represented 9.3% of IMs, while older workers (55-64) were 12.5%, and senior workers (65 and above) were 3.4%.
Sectoral Distribution of IMs
- Services sector: Largest proportion of IMs employed, comprising 68.4% of the total migrant workforce.
- Female IMs dominated this sector, with 80.7% of them working in services, compared to 60.8% of male IMs.
- Non-migrant women and men in the services sector were at 59.4% and 46.3%, respectively.
- Industry sector: 24.3% of IMs were in industry, with a similar share of 24.2% for non-migrants.
- Agriculture sector: Only 7.4% of IMs worked in agriculture, compared to a much higher proportion of 24.3% for non-migrants.
Factors Behind Higher Male Migration
- Economic and social factors: Cultural norms, greater demand for low-skill manual labor, and economic opportunities in sectors like construction, manufacturing, and care work tend to attract more male migrants.
- Gender-specific roles: Women face more barriers, including social restrictions, lower access to work visas, and fewer opportunities in sectors typically dominated by migrants, such as construction.
Top Host Countries for IMWs
- High-income countries remain the largest hosts of international migrants, absorbing 68.4% (114 million) of the global migrant workforce, especially in services sectors like healthcare, elder care, and education.
- Upper-middle-income countries hosted 17.4% (29.2 million) of IMs.
- Regional distribution:
- Northern, Southern, and Western Europe: 23.3% of IMs, with only a slight increase in share since 2013.
- North America: IMs made up 22.6% of the labour force, though this is declining slightly, with a 1% decrease over the last decade.
- Arab States: Accounted for 13.3%, which saw a 3% decline since 2013.
Key Drivers of IM Growth
- Ageing populations in high-income countries are prompting a growing demand for workers, particularly in caregiving sectors.
- The care economy (elder care, healthcare, and child care) is a significant factor attracting migrant workers, especially women.
- Economic opportunities in host countries, combined with demand for skilled and low-wage labor, continue to make high-income nations attractive for international migration.
