Overview
- OECD countries admitted 6.2 million new permanent migrants in 2024, a 4% decline from 2023 yet about 15% above 2019 levels.
- Labour migration fell 21% after several years of increases, while arrivals concentrated in five destinations led by the United States (1.42 million) and Germany (586,000) followed by Canada, the United Kingdom and Spain.
- The United States recorded a 20% rise in permanent migrants, Germany saw a 12% drop and the United Kingdom fell 41%, which the OECD links to visa changes for dependents of health‑sector workers.
- Asylum applications reached a record 3.1 million in 2024 across the OECD, up 13%, with most claims from Venezuela, Colombia and Syria.
- The report highlights persistent integration shortfalls, noting migrants’ lower employment and pay, including in Germany where the migrant employment rate was 69.6% (10.3 points below natives) and entry wages were about 43% lower versus an OECD average gap of 34%.