The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s latest “World Migration Report 2026” has analysed the aspect of international migrants’ criticality to local and wider development contribution. It has termed them a “strategic global asset”. “Migration has emerged as a powerful force shaping human development in the twenty-first century,” the IOM report reads. This must be seen from the changing demographic landscape of the world. Some nation-states have more humans than others; some breed faster than others, and some are just reaching a point of life expectancy that is considered healthy in the modern world. So, there is a need for distribution of humans, or human assets according to a country’s needs. All along, human migration has remained a key strategy to ensure the human world remains what it is today.
Migration is a major driver of human development globally, says IOM, with an extensive dissection of the immigrants’ socio-economic contribution. Remittances from international immigrants amount to $913 billion in 2025, and it is increasing. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) mostly receive this foreign flow of funds. To put this in context, remittances are higher for these countries than the combined Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) and Official Development Assistance (ODA). In 2023, LMICs including India received remittances of $656 billion, while the combined DFI-ODA was $638 billion. For some countries remittances constitutes a significant part of their gross domestic product (GDP).
In countries where migrants hail from, remittances lead to better economic, health and educational conditions, often much better than their respective national measures. “In Latin America, remittance inflows have been linked to financial sector growth, underscoring their significance in strengthening financial systems,” the IOM report cites an example. In another instance, the report says, “A cross-country study encompassing 71 developing nations revealed that a 10 per cent increase in per capita official international remittances resulted in a 3.5 per cent decline in the share of people living in poverty, with an additional study highlighting that remittances had a strong, positive impact on education in low income countries by facilitating better educational access.”
Besides, and notwithstanding the anti-immigration sentiments, the countries with the most international immigrants also need them the most. In recent times, many countries have lifted curbs on immigrants due to labour/skill shortages. Thus, it is prudent to say that immigration is a necessity, of local economy and for overall development.