Strengthening Data Collection for International Migration and Development

1. The 2013 High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development:Implications for data collection Bela Hovy, ChiefMigration Section, Population DivisionDepartment of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)United Nations, New York Towards better evidence on migration and development in Eastern Europe and Central Asia Workshop on migration statistics Almaty, 31 October – 01 November 2013

2. High-level Dialogue on Migration and Development, New York, 3-4 October 2013 Preparations Civil society hearings (15 July) Panel discussion (25 June) Regional preparations Overall theme “Identifying concrete measures to strengthen coherence and cooperation at all levels, with a view to enhancing the benefits of international migration for migrants and countries alike and its important links to development, while reducing its negative impacts” RT1: International migration, sustainable development and post-2015 development agenda RT2: Migrant rights, smuggling & trafficking, facilitating regular migration, women and child migrants RT3: Partnerships, cooperation and coherence RT4: Labour mobility and its impact on development United Nations, Population Division/DESA

3. Making Migration Work The SGs 8-point agenda for action Protect the human rights of all migrants Reduce the costs of labour migration Eliminate migrant exploitation, incl. human trafficking Address the plight of migrants stranded in crises Improve public perceptions of migrants Fully integrate migration in development agenda Strengthen the migration evidence base Enhance migration partnerships and cooperation United Nations, Population Division/DESA

4. Declaration of the 2013 High-level Dialogue – key elements • Migrants contribute to countries of origin, transit and destination • Human mobility a key factor for global, sustainable development • Develop initiatives to assist migrants stranded in crises • Promote conditions for cheaper transfer of remittances • Improve migration data and evidence base • Combat xenophobia, negative stereotyping and intolerance United Nations, Population Division/DESA

5. Declaration of the 2013 High-level Dialogue - data aspects „Emphasize the need for reliable statistical data on international migration, including when possible on the contributions of migrants to development in both origin and destination countries; this data could facilitate the design of evidence-based policy- and decision-making in all relevant aspects of sustainable development;“(para 28) „Recognize the need to consider the role that environmental factors may play in migration;“ (para 25) „Recognize the necessity to consider how the migration of highly skilled persons, especially in the health, social and engineering sectors, affects the development efforts of developing countries, and emphasize the need to consider circular migration“ (para 26) United Nations, Population Division/DESA

6. International migration data of the Population Division, DESA Stocks • Global estimates (age, sex, destination and origin) Flows • Immigration/emigration: 43 countries (31 with outflows) • Labour permits (exits): 10 countries Net migration (estimates and projections) • What to assume for the future? United Nations, Population Division/DESA

7. International migrant stock “…. persons who have ever changed their country of usual residence, that is to say, persons who have spent at least one year of their lives in a country other than the one in which they live at the time the data are gathered ” (United Nations Recommendations on Statistics of International Migration, 1998)

8. Population census Why? trends (South-South migration) ‘diaspora’ migration corridors regional mobility skills, education Issues lack of reporting delays in availability long data interval irregular migrants United Nations, Population Division/DESA

9. Census recommendations on international migration

10. Largest census data gaps on migrant stock (census) in Africa and Asia Origin Age Total & Sex Percentage of countries with data on sex, age and origin since 2000 census round Africa Asia Europe LatinAmerica&Caribbean NorthernAmerica Oceania Source: Trends in International Migrant Stock: The 2013 Revision

11. 2013 international migration stock estimates: data availability United Nations, Population Division/DESA

12. Administrative sources Why? circular migration timely data on trends reasons for migration (permits, visa, entry-exit) detailed characteristics at minimal costs Issues comparison difficult few countries regular migration only United Nations, Population Division/DESA

13. The Population Division has expanded its data on migration flows • Coverage: • 43 countries in 2010 revision • Types of flows: • Inflows • Outflows • Net flows • Criteria used to classify migrants: • Country of birth • Citizenship • Place of residence (previous or future) United Nations, Population Division/DESA

14. Average annual immigration of foreigners Average annual emigration of foreigners Average annual foreign net migration Northern America Europe 1970/1980 Europe 1990/2000 Australia and New Zealand United Nations, Population Division/DESA

15. Migration surveys Why? impacts on countries of origin, transit and destination, migrants (health, education, income) (post-2015 UN development agenda) causes (reasons) detailed characteristics higher chance of reaching irregular migrants Issues lack of dedicated funding complexity of survey design comparability / ad hoc United Nations, Population Division/DESA

16. Migration and Development- Key opportunities Remittances • $414 billion to developing countries in 2013 • (officially recorded, 3x ODA) • Invested in human capital (health, education, etc.) Diaspora contributions • Temporary, long-term or virtual “return” of diaspora • Transfer of knowledge and skills • Trade, FDI, Diaspora bonds Contribution to destination countries • Contribution to filling labour market shortages • Reduced dependency ratios • Entrepreneurship, job creation, … United Nations, Population Division/DESA

17. Remittances: the main recipient countries Top 5 recipients (2013) Top 5 recipients as a share of GDP (2012) Total: 414 billion USD US$ billion % of GDP Kyrgyz Republic Moldova India China Philip-pines Mexico Nigeria Tajikistan Nepal Lesotho Source: World Bank United Nations, Population Division/DESA

18. Key challenges • “Brain drain” • Emigration of skilled persons • Undocumented migration • Limited avenues for legal migration • Protection of the human rights of all migrants • Trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants • High costs of migration • Lack of portability (skills, social security, diplomas, …) • Recruitment fees • Costs of transferring remittances United Nations, Population Division/DESA

19. Global average cost for sending remittances is decreasing, but with regional variations Total average costs of remittances by receiving regions, 2008-2013, 3rd quarter (percentage) Source: World Bank United Nations, Population Division/DESA

20. Population dynamics and the post-2015 development agenda Africa Reducing population growth (but little impact) Europe Slowing population decline CIS Slowing population decline (but little impact) thousands Total net change Immigration-emigration Births-deaths United Nations, Population Division/DESA

21. What goals or targets for migration can we adopt for post-2015 development agenda?

22. How to strengthen data collection on international migration? Ask basic questions, and tabulate the answers National statistical offices, DESA, UNFPA, World Bank Exploit administrative data sources Ministries in charge of migration, statistical offices Leverage existing surveys World Bank, MICS (UNICEF), DHS, ILO Provide access to micro-data Ministries in charge of migration, statistical offices Build capacity Global Migration Group?’ United Nations, Population Division/DESA