The Covid-19 outbreak has seen mobility heavily curtailed as governments have closed borders and restricted movement in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.  It’s perhaps understandable, therefore, that international mobility will be heavily affected.

Nonetheless, a recent report from the UN highlighting a 30% drop in global migration remains eye-opening.  This amounts to roughly two million fewer people migrating between 2019 and 2020 than ordinarily expected.

“Around the globe, the closing of national borders and severe disruptions to international travel obliged hundreds of thousands of people to cancel or delay plans of moving abroad,” the report says. “Hundreds of thousands of migrants were stranded, unable to return to their countries, while others were forced to return to their home countries earlier than planned, when job opportunities dried up and schools closed.”

Reduced movement

The report highlights that growth in the number of international migrants has been steady over the past couple of decades, with 281 million people believed to live outside their country of origin last year. This represents a rise from 221 million in 2010 and 173 million in 2000. Indeed, international migrants represent 3.6% of the global population.

The report examines international migration according to destination, age, origin, and sex for every part of the world.

“The report affirms that migration is a part of today’s globalized world and shows how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the livelihoods of millions of migrants and their families and undermined progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” the authors say.

Popular destinations

The report reveals that around two-thirds of migrants live in just 20 countries, with the United States topping the list.  The country, which is home to around 51 million international migrants, leads Germany, with 16 million, Saudi Arabia with 13 million, Russia with 12 million, and Britain with nine million.

Of the countries with the largest diaspora, India topped the list with 18 million Indians living elsewhere.  They were followed by Mexico and Russia, which both have 11 million citizens living abroad, and China with 10 million.

With free movement a defining feature of the European Union, it’s perhaps no surprise that Europe has the largest number of international migrants, with 87 million of the 446 million EU citizens living outside their country of birth.

The kind of migration seen within the EU is prototypical of international migration more generally, with around half living in the region they come from.  This was certainly true of the EU, where 70% of migrants in Europe were born in a European country.

Declining fortunes

The decline in international migration caused by Covid is likely to have a significant impact, not least on the development of countries that often rely on diasporas for everything from foreign investment to innovation, financial inclusion to accessing the latest technologies.

“Remittances sent by migrants also improve the livelihoods of families and communities in countries of origin through investments in education, health, sanitation, housing, and other infrastructure,” the authors say. “Flows of remittances to low- and middle-income countries are projected to decline in 2020 compared to pre-COVID-19 levels.”

The reduction in remittances is likely to leave a significant financial and social hole for many countries, which the authors believe will require deliberate national strategies, combined with international cooperation, to mitigate the effects.