By Zoila Palma: Migration to developed countries declined for a second consecutive year in 2025, with the number of new permanent immigrants falling by 1.6 percent compared to 2024, according to a report published Thursday by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The 38 OECD member countries recorded approximately 6.1 million new permanent immigrants, down from 6.2 million the previous year.
The report noted a sharp 26 percent decline in legal humanitarian migration in 2025, while labour migration increased by 13 percent, AFP reports.
Despite the overall decrease, permanent immigration remained 12 percent higher than in 2019. Portugal recorded the largest increase among several countries, with permanent immigration rising 139 percent to 313,600 people, largely due to the approval of a backlog of residency permits. Spain recorded a 25 percent increase to 460,500 immigrants, while Italy saw a 45 percent rise to 248,800, driven largely by family and labour migration.
Meanwhile, several major destinations experienced significant declines.
The United States recorded a 14 percent decrease but remained the leading OECD destination, receiving more than 1.2 million permanent immigrants. Canada saw a 19 percent decline to 393,800, while the United Kingdom recorded a 32 percent drop to 295,800. Asylum applications also fell by 22 percent in 2025, reaching approximately 1.1 million across OECD countries, excluding the United States.
India remained the leading country of origin for migration to OECD nations in 2024, followed by China and Colombia, according to the latest available figures.
The post International News: OECD report shows migration to developed countries declines for 2nd consecutive year appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Migration to developed countries declined for a second consecutive year in 2025, with the number of new permanent immigrants falling by 1.6 percent compared to 2024, according to a report published Thursday by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The 38 OECD member countries recorded approximately 6.1 million new permanent
The post International News: OECD report shows migration to developed countries declines for 2nd consecutive year appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.