The total number of international migrant workers reached 167.7 million in 2022, an increase of over 30 million since 2013, driven by labor market emands and economic disparities, according to a report by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Migrants now make up 4.7% of the global workforce, highlighting their growing role in global employment, the UN agency noted.
Out of the total, approximately 155.6 million migrants were employed, while 12.1 million were unemployed. The ILO attributes this disparity to factors such as language barriers, unrecognized foreign qualifications, and discrimination.
The share of migrants in the workforce is particularly high in Europe, North America, and Arab countries, partly due to aging populations in these regions, as migrants fill positions left vacant by retirees.
In Northern, Southern, and Western Europe, the share of migrant workers rose from 22.5% to 23.3% between 2013 and 2022.
Men dominate the migrant labor force, accounting for 61.3% (102.7 million), while women represent 38.7% (64.9 million), the ILO report concludes.
