E c o n o m i c & S o c i a l A f f a i r s International Migration Report 2015 United Nations ST/ESA/SER.A/384 September 2016 Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division International Migration Report 2015 United Nations The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat is a vital interface between global policies in the economic, social and environmental spheres and national action. The Department works in three main interlinked areas: (i) it compiles, generates and analyses a wide range of economic, social and environmental data and information on which States Members of the United Nations draw to review common problems and take stock of policy options; (ii) it facilitates the negotiations of Member States in many intergovernmental bodies on joint courses of action to address ongoing or emerging global challenges; and (iii) it advises interested Governments on the ways and means of translating policy frameworks developed in United Nations conferences and summits into programmes at the country level and, through technical assistance, helps build national capacities. The Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs provides the international community with timely and accessible population data and analysis of population trends and development outcomes for all countries and areas of the world. To this end, the Division undertakes regular studies of population size and characteristics and of all three components of population change (fertility, mortality and migration). Founded in 1946, the Population Division provides substantive support on population and development issues to the United Nations General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Commission on Population and Development. It also leads or participates in various interagency coordination mechanisms of the United Nations system. The work of the Division also contributes to strengthening the capacity of Member States to monitor population trends and to address current and emerging population issues. This report was prepared by Clare Menozzi, under the supervision of Bela Hovy. The estimates of the migrant stock were provided by Pablo Lattes and Clare Menozzi. Note The designations employed in this report and the material presented in it do not imply the expression of any opinions whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. This report is available in electronic format on the Division’s website at www.unpopulation.org. For further information about this report, please contact the Office of the Director, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, New York, 10017, USA, by Fax: 1 212 963 2147 or by e mail at [email protected]. Suggested citation: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2016). International Migration Report 2015 (ST/ESA/SER.A/384). Official symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capital letters combined with numbers, as illustrated in the above citation. Published by the United Nations Copyright © United Nations, 2016 All rights reserved < this page intentionally left blank > PREFACE In the area of international migration, the ratification status of migration-related legal Population Division estimates the global number of instruments. The data for the international migrant international migrants at regular intervals, monitors stock described in chapter I are taken from the levels, trends and policies of international migration, publication Trends in International Migrant Stock: and collects and analyses information on the The 2015 Revision, while the estimates on the total relationship between international migration and population in chapter I are based on World development. As part of these monitoring activities, Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision, DVD the Migration Section within the Population Edition. The estimates on net migration and the Division maintains the United Nations Global projected population up to 2050 presented in chapter Migration Database, which contains the most II are based on World Population Prospects: The complete set of statistics on international migrants 2015 Revision, DVD Edition . Chapter III provides enumerated in countries or areas and classified by an analysis of the status of ratification (by Member age, sex and country/area of birth or citizenship. States) of the migration-related legal instruments of the United Nations and the International Labour The Population Division also convenes the Organization (ILO), based on information from the interagency coordination meeting on international United Nations Treaty Section (http://treaties.un.org) migration and organizes expert group meetings on and the NORMLEX Information System on migration-related topics. The Division participates International Labour Standards (http://www.ilo.org). on behalf of DESA in the interagency Global For more information on the data and methodology Migration Group (GMG). It also services the used for calculating the various indicators used in intergovernmental process on international this report, please see the above-mentioned migration and development at the General Assembly publications. and acts as the focal point within the United Nations Secretariat for the State-led Global Forum on The present report has been issued without Migration and Development (GFMD). formal editing. Responsibility for this report rests with the Population Division. More information on This report presents information on levels and the activities of the Population Division in the area trends in international migration for major areas, of international migration can be found at regions and countries of the world, and on the www.unmigration.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Population Division iii International Migration Report 2015 < this page intentionally left blank > CONTENTS Page PREFACE ............................................................................................................................................... iii EXPLANATORY NOTES .......................................................................................................................... vii CLASSIFICATION OF COUNTRIES OR AREAS BY MAJOR AREAS AND REGION IN THE WORLD ................ ix I. LEVELS AND TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION ................................................................ ......... 1 II. NET INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION ................................................................................................ ........11 III. LEGAL INSTRUMENTS AND POLICIES ON INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION ................................ ...............19 United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Population Division v International Migration Report 2015 < this page intentionally left blank > EXPLANATORY NOTES The following symbols are used in the tables shown in this report: Two dots (..) indicate that data are not available or are not separately reported. Three dots (…) indicate that the treaty was not ratified. An em dash (—) indicates that the amount is nil or negligible. A hyphen (-) indicates that the item is not applicable. A minus sign (-) before a figure indicates a decrease. A full stop (.) is used to indicate decimals. Use of a hyphen (-) between years, for example, 1990-2000, signifies the full period from 1 July of the first year to 1 July of the second year. Due to rounding, the numbers and percentages displayed in tables may not add up to the corresponding totals. Following common practice, the “developed regions”, referred to also as the “global North” or simply the “North”, are comprised of all countries or areas of Europe and Northern America, plus Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The term “developed countries” refers to countries in the developed regions. The “developing regions”, or the “global South”, are comprised of all countries or areas of Africa, Asia (excluding Japan) and Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. The term “developing countries” is used to designate countries in the developing regions. The terms “developed” and “developing” describe the clear distinction between rich and poor countries or regions that existed as recently as 1960, but which has since disappeared as many countries of the South have undergone rapid development. The terms continue to be used because the categories remain meaningful for some purposes; their use in this report does not imply any judgment as to the current developmental stage of a particular country or region. Where appropriate, the term “country” may be used in reference to a territory or area. The group of least developed countries, as defined by the Committee for Development Policy (CDP), a subsidiary body of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, currently comprises 48 countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Timor-Leste, Togo,