World Immigration News

Trends for 2025: Immigration and depopulation

Release Date
2024-12-30
Media
Down to Earth
Summary
The term "immigrant" has become a central political issue worldwide, with many countries deliberating on immigration controls. Despite only 3.6% of the global population being international migrants, there is significant political focus on immigration. In 2020, there were 281 million migrants, a significant increase from previous decades.

Many countries, particularly those receiving the most immigrants, are facing declining populations. The UN's 2022 World Population Prospects forecast that 61 countries or areas will see a population decrease of 1% or more by 2050, driven by low fertility rates and high emigration. In high-income countries, migration has been crucial in offsetting higher death rates, and in the future, immigration could be the primary driver of population growth.

In contrast, middle-income countries like India will continue to experience natural population growth. The World Bank warns that developed countries will increasingly depend on migration to sustain their economies and address aging populations. For this to happen, wealthy nations must open their borders again, not out of charity but necessity, while developing mechanisms to manage legal and illegal immigration.
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WORLD