International migrants continue to play a vital role in the global labour market, accounting for 4.7 per cent of the labour force in 2022, according to the latest report by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The ILO Global Estimates on International Migrant Workers, indicates that 167.7 million migrants were part of the labour force of their destination countries in 2022. Of these, 102.7 million were men and 64.9 million were women (rounded figures). This represents an increase of more 30 million since 2013, an increase that was mainly observed between 2013-2019. The majority of migrants in the labour force were concentrated in high-income countries, which accounted for 68.4 per cent of the total (114.7 million people), followed by 17.4 per cent (29.2 million) in upper-middle-income countries.
Regional distribution
The majority of migrants in the labour force were concentrated in Northern, Southern, and Western Europe; Northern America; and the Arab States. The share of migrants in the labour force living in Northern, Southern, and Western Europe increased from 22.5 per cent in 2013 to 23.3 per cent in 2022. In contrast, the share of migrants in the labour force of Northern America and the Arab States experienced slight declines.
Labour market inclusion
Of the 167.7 million migrants in the labour force in 2022, 155.6 million were employed, while 12.1 million were unemployed. Significant gender disparities persisted, as migrant women had an employment-to-population ratio of only 48.1 per cent, compared to 72.8 per cent for migrant men. Migrants faced a higher unemployment rate (7.2 per cent) compared to non-migrants (5.2 per cent), with migrant women (8.7 per cent) experiencing higher unemployment levels than men (6.2 per cent). This disparity may be driven by factors such as language barriers, unrecognized qualifications, discrimination, limited childcare options, and gender-based expectations that restrict employment opportunities, particularly for women.
The importance of care and services
A significant proportion of migrants – 68.4 per cent – were employed in the services sector, compared to 51.5 per cent of non-migrants. This trend was largely driven by the global demand for care and domestic work, particularly among women. 28.8 per cent of migrant women and 12.4 per cent of migrant men were employed in care economy, compared to 19.2 per cent of non-migrant women and 6.2 per cent of non-migrant men.
Addressing the needs of migrant workers
The report underscores the complexities of labour migration and the key need for targeted policies to support international migrants. These include improving access to decent work opportunities and enhancing the protection of migrant workers. With the majority of migrants employed in high-demand sectors, ensuring equitable access to employment opportunities for fostering sustainable development and inclusive labour markets is a policy priority, it says.
“Migrant workers are indispensable in addressing global labour shortages and contributing to economic growth,” said ILO Director-General, Gilbert F. Houngbo. “Ensuring their rights and access to decent work is not only a moral imperative but also an economic necessity.”
