UN labor agency describes migrants 'vital force' as they constitute nearly 5% of global market

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - International migrants continue to be a "vital force" of the global workforce, making up 4.7% of the labor force in 2022, according to the UN labor agency on Monday.

The International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Global Estimates on International Migrant Workers report revealed that 167.7 million migrants were actively engaged in the labor markets of their host countries last year.

Of these, 102.7 million were men and 64.9 million were women, reflecting a notable increase of over 30 million migrant workers since 2013, primarily recorded between 2013 and 2019.

The report highlighted that the majority of migrant workers, 68.4% (114.7 million people), are employed in high-income countries, with upper-middle-income countries accounting for 17.4% (29.2 million).

Regionally, migrant labor forces were predominantly concentrated in Northern, Southern, and Western Europe; Northern America; and the Arab States, it said.

Between 2013 and 2022, the share of migrant workers in Northern, Southern, and Western Europe rose from 22.5% to 23.3%, while Northern America and the Arab States saw slight declines in their shares of migrant workers, according to the report.

Among the 167.7 million migrant workers in 2022, 155.6 million were employed, while 12.1 million were unemployed, the report found. However, it said, significant gender disparities remain as migrant women had an employment-to-population ratio of 48.1%, considerably lower than the 72.8% for migrant men.

Unemployment rates also reflect this gap, according to the report, with migrant women facing a higher rate (8.7%) compared to migrant men (6.2%). In contrast, non-migrants had a lower overall unemployment rate of 5.2%. The report attributed these disparities to factors such as language barriers, unrecognized qualifications, discrimination, limited childcare options, and restrictive gender roles, particularly affecting women.

- Migrant women concentrated in care economy

A significant 68.4% of migrant workers were employed in the services sector, surpassing the 51.5% of non-migrant workers in the same field, the report said.

Migrant women were notably concentrated in the care economy, with 28.8% working in this sector compared to 12.4% of migrant men. The report underscored the global demand for care and domestic work, particularly among migrant women, as a major driver of these trends.

The ILO also emphasized the need for targeted policies to address the challenges faced by migrant workers, including improved access to decent work opportunities and enhanced protections. The report stressed that ensuring equitable access to employment is essential for fostering sustainable development and inclusive labor markets.

“Migrant workers are indispensable in addressing global labour shortages and contributing to economic growth,” ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo said. “Ensuring their rights and access to decent work is not only a moral imperative but also an economic necessity.”

The report called for measures to promote fair treatment of migrant workers while addressing systemic barriers to employment and enhancing support for migrants in high-demand sectors.