Merve Gül Aydoğan Ağlarcı
05 May 2026•Update: 05 May 2026
The number of international migrants reached 304 million by mid-2024, accounting for roughly 3.7 percent of the world’s population, as a UN migration agency (IOM) report on Tuesday warned that tightening legal pathways is pushing people toward more dangerous and costly irregular routes.
The IOM released its World Migration Report 2026 on Tuesday during International Migration Review Forum week in New York, saying migration remains a powerful driver of economic growth but its benefits are increasingly at risk.
Pointing to financial contributions from migrants, the report said remittances are projected to reach $905 billion in 2024, with $685 billion flowing to low- and middle-income countries, exceeding official development assistance and foreign direct investment combined.
The number of international migrant workers increased by more than 30 million between 2013 and 2022, the report said, with diaspora communities contributing to knowledge exchange, investment and social cohesion across borders.
“Across the world, migration helps drive jobs, economic growth, stability, and social cohesion,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope in a statement.
Noting that “every country has the right to shape its own migration policies,” she added: “the evidence shows, however, that when States cooperate at regional and global levels, migration is better managed, helping to build public trust and deliver stronger benefits for economies, communities and people on the move.”
The report also highlighted growing inequality in access to legal migration pathways, with expanded opportunities benefiting people from wealthier countries while those from lower-income nations face increasing restrictions.
Global displacement reached record levels, with more than 120 million people uprooted by the end of 2024 due to conflict, environmental pressures and structural vulnerabilities.
The IOM urged governments to expand safe migration pathways, reduce remittance costs and strengthen regional cooperation to better manage migration.
