OECD - International Migration Outlook 2019

This publication constitutes the 43 rd report of the OECDs Continuous Reporting System on Migration. The report is divided into five chapters plus a statistical annex.

Chapter 1 provides a broad overview of recent trends in international migration flows and policies. Chapter 2 takes an in-depth look at the employment situation of immigrants and highlights major changes in policies that support the integration of immigrants and their children.

Chapter 3 examines the impact of temporary migration on the host-country labour market and provides the first estimation of the additional labour contributed in full-year equivalent by temporary migrants to the employed population in 20 OECD countries. The chapter covers all forms of temporary migration, such as temporary labour migrants, international students, participants in cultural exchange programmes, service providers, accompanying families of temporary labour migrants, free-movement migrants and cross-border workers. It demonstrates the need to pursue enhanced data collection efforts on temporary migration in order to build a complete picture of the impact of migration on host-country labour markets in OECD countries.

Chapter 4 investigates how migrants long-term integration outcomes are affected by delays in family reunification. The integration outcomes of both principal migrants and the spouses who reunify with them are considered. The chapter provides new empirical evidence for a range of OECD countries and discusses potential reasons why delays in family reunification influence integration outcomes such as wages, employment, and language proficiency. It also explores the effects of age at arrival on the integration outcomes of migrant children, and the role played by the presence of migrants parents. The key implications for policies regulating family reunification are discussed.

Chapter 5 presents succinct country-specific notes and statistics on developments in international migration movements and policies in OECD countries in recent years. Lastly, the statistical annex includes a broad selection of recent and historical statistics on immigrant flows; asylum requests; foreign and foreign-born populations; and naturalisations.

This years edition of the OECD International Migration Outlook is the collective work of the staff of the International Migration Division in the Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs. Chapters 1 and 5 contain contributions from John Salt (University College London). Chapter 3 was prepared by Ana Damas de Matos and Chapter 4 by Friedrich Poeschel. Jean-Christophe Dumont edited the report. Research assistance and statistical work were carried out by Vronique Gindrey and Philippe Herv. Editorial assistance was provided by Joanne Dundon and Anna Tarutina.