International Comparisons: Net Migration Rates by Country

People tend to vote with their feet. Net migration rates by country measure whether a country gains or loses people through migration in a given year. Net migration rates by country is a useful measure when making international comparisons, although sometimes takes a little bit of effort to fully understand.

The migration of people occurs for many reasons. However, the single most powerful force that drives human migration today is economic reasons. In general, people move to areas where they can improve their financial well-being. Young people around the world are often on the move in search of a better life by finding a good job in another country. The wealthier developed countries of the world are often the destinations for people like this and have a positive net migration rate.

Interestingly enough, for the elderly there is a growing trend for a different type of migration. The underlying reason is still the same, migrating with the goal of improving their financial well being. However, the pattern is a bit reversed from the young people of the world. People from the developed countries are often interested in moving to a less developed country to improve their economic well being. As a result, the less wealthy developing countries are often the retirement destination of choice for a pensioner and may experience a positive net migration rate if the flow of retirees is large enough.

Throughout most of America’s history, the USA has experienced a positive net migration rate. More people have sought to enter America than to leave it. The primary reason is that the USA has been historically perceived to be the land of opportunity. And for the most part, America welcomed the immigrants into its labor pool and these cheap foreign workers often played a vital role in the building of America’s economic might. More often that not this is the global scenario, and the developing countries of the world often experience a negative net migration rate.

So what is the general pattern today for net migration by country around the world today? Well, it’s a surprising one as you can see below:

Net Migration Rates by Country: Very High Growth (more than 10.0 people per 1000 population in a year)

Most of these countries do not fall into your traditional most developed countries of the world category. One would not think of Afghanistan for example as a highly sought after destination for immigration. To a large degree, Afghanistan’s very high net migration rate reflects the movement of refugees back into that country. Whether this is a sign of America’s success in the war (refugees returning to a more stable country) or not remains to be seen. This is a net migration rate that seems to be influenced by political and social factors rather than economic ones.

The United Arab Emirates on the other hand has in recent years experienced a great deal of growth as the result of the migration of Indians to their country as laborers in the petroleum industry.

• United Arab Emirates:24.4
• Afghanistan:21.0
• Cayman Islands:16.9
• Kuwait:16.4
• Liberia:15.1
• Anguilla:14.6
• Qatar:12.2
• San Marino:10.4

Net Migration Rates by Country: Moderate Growth (5.0-10.0 people per 1000 population in a year)

Countries like Singapore, Luxembourg and Canada reflect the traditional positive net migration rate as a result of their strong economies attracting immigrants from other countries. The tiny island of Aruba, has benefited from the growth of its tourist industry in recent years and the need for workers – which is behind its positive net migration rate.

In Burundi, there was a negative net migration rate in 2000 due to internal strife. Since 2006 there has been a cease-fire and the positive net migration rate today primarily reflects the return of refugees who fled the country in the past. Similarly, Jordan’s positive net migration rate reflects a large number of Palestinian refugees moving into the area as a result of conflict in neighboring Israel/Palestine.

• Aruba:9.9
• Turks & Caicos Islands:9.5
• Luxembourg:8.5
• British Virgin Islands:8.5
• Monaco:7.6
• Northern Mariana Is.:7.0
• Singapore:6.9
• Bosnia & Herzegovina:6.4
• Andorra:6.4
• Jordan:6.0
• Burundi:5.6
• Canada:5.6
• Botswana:5.4

Net Migration Rates by Country: Slow Growth (0.1 – 5.0 people per 1000 population in a year)

The majority of countries in this category reflect the traditional positive net migration rates associated with developed countries. The United States falls in this category, but although its net migration rate is only 2.9/1000 people, because of its large population, this translates into close to a net gain of over 900,000 people in its population in a year. Many people still perceive America as a desirable migration destination because of its strong economy. However, since 9/11, America has tightened up on its migration policies.

• Ireland:4.8
• Liechtenstein:4.7
• Hong Kong:4.6
• Macau:4.3
• Australia:3.7
• Portugal:3.2
• United States of America:2.9
• French Polynesia:2.8
• Brunei:2.7
• Jersey:2.7
• New Zealand:2.6
• Netherlands:2.6
• Israel:2.5
• Denmark:2.5
• Greece:2.3
• Rwanda:2.3
• Bermuda:2.3
• Switzerland:2.2
• Germany:2.2
• Great Britain & Northern Ireland:2.2
• Italy:2.1
• Malta:2.0
• Austria:1.9
• Angola:1.7
• Norway:1.7
• Sweden:1.7
• Croatia:1.6
• France:1.5
• Congo (Dem. Rep.):1.2
• Belgium:1.2
• Iceland:1.1
• Sierra Leone:1.0
• Spain:1.0
• Czech Republic:1.0
• Palau:0.9
• Hungary:0.9
• Finland:0.7
• Sudan:0.7
• Slovenia:0.6
• Gambia:0.6
• Benin:0.5
• Costa Rica:0.5
• Cyprus:0.4
• Bahrain:0.4
• Argentina:0.4
• Belarus:0.4
• Namibia:0.4
• Oman:0.3
• Slovakia:0.3
• Russia:0.3
• Nigeria:0.3
• Uganda:0.2

Net Migration Rates by Country: Zero Growth (0.0 per 1000 population in a year)

The rate of people entering and leaving these countries produced a zero net migration rate for these countries.

• Taiwan (Rep. of China):0.0
• Gibraltar:0.0
• Senegal:0.0
• Turkey:0.0
• South Africa:0.0
• Brazil:0.0

Net Migration Rates by Country: Negative Growth (-0.1 to -5.0 per 1000 population in a year)

Countries in this category are typical developing countries where there is a net out-migration of people in any given year. Most of the out-migration is associated with people going abroad in search of better jobs. The Philippines for example, has about 10% of its population working overseas at any given time. This is not necessarily bad for the country, in fact the overseas workers from the Philippines send home money and this amounts to a large percentage of the country’s national income.

• India:-0.1
• Paraguay:-0.1
• Mauritius:-0.1
• Ukraine:-0.1
• Romania:-0.1
• Uruguay:-0.2
• Egypt:-0.2
• Colombia:-0.3
• Algeria:-0.3
• Barbados:-0.3
• Panama:-0.3
• China:-0.4
• Netherlands Antilles:-0.4
• Vietnam:-0.4
• Tunisia:-0.4
• Poland:-0.5
• Suriname:-0.5
• Ghana:-0.6
• Macedonia:-0.6
• Niger:-0.6
• Haiti:-0.6
• Bangladesh:-0.7
• Lithuania:-0.7
• Morocco:-0.8
• Lesotho:-0.8
• Saint Lucia:-0.8
• Venezuela:-0.8
• Peru:-1.0
• Kenya:-1.0
• Puerto Rico:-1.0
• Pakistan:-1.1
• Sri Lanka:-1.1
• Moldova:-1.1
• Nicaragua:-1.1
• Bolivia:-1.1
• Indonesia:-1.3
• Uzbekistan:-1.3
• Tajikistan:-1.3
• Honduras:-1.3
• Philippines:-1.5
• Tanzania:-1.5
• Cuba:-1.6
• Azerbaijan:-2.0
• Sao Tome and Principe:-2.0
• Guinea-Bissau:-2.0
• Bahamas:-2.1
• Guatemala:-2.3
• Latvia:-2.3
• Saint Kitts & Nevis:-2.3
• Dominican Republic:-2.4
• Congo (Republic):-2.5
• Kyrgyzstan:-2.6
• Fiji Islands:-2.6
• Zambia:-2.6
• Turkmenistan:-3.0
• Estonia:-3.2
• Chad:-3.3
• Iran:-3.3
• Kazakhstan:-3.3
• El Salvador:-3.4
• Bulgaria:-3.4
• Gabon:-3.6
• Mexico:-3.8
• Georgia:-4.4
• Albania:-4.4
• Armenia:-5.0

Net Migration Rates by Country: High Negative Growth (more than -5.00 per 1000 population in a year)

These countries experienced the greatest out-migration of people. Most of that is economic in nature, migrants seeking gainful employment in other countries with stronger economies.

• Saint Pierre & Miquelon:-5.0
• Seychelles:-5.1
• Dominica:-5.5
• Marshall Islands:-5.5
• Jamaica:-5.9
• Mali:-6.0
• Antigua & Barbuda:-6.0
• Saudi Arabia:-6.9
• Guyana:-7.5
• Saint Vincent & the Grenadines:-7.6
• Ecuador:-8.0
• Greenland:-8.4
• Samoa:-9.1
• Virgin Islands of the US:-9.3
• Trinidad & Tobago:-11.2
• Grenada:-11.2
• Cape Verde:-11.7
• Micronesia, Federated States of:-21.0
• American Samoa:-21.2

Net Migration Rates by Country: Summary

In general, the net migration rate tends to be positive for countries with strong economies. There are some exceptions when the net migration rate is influenced by political factors and the movement of refugees into the country.

On the other hand, a negative net migration rate is associated with lesser developed countries where people move abroad in search of economic opportunity.

The movement of people from economically strong countries to countries with weaker economies may be a growing trend in the future. Retirees from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan are increasingly looking to retire abroad in the search for a better standard of living. In my neighborhood in the Philippines, there are a large number of Japanese and American retirees. Interestingly enough, there is also a large number of Koreans, many who have left South Korea for the Philippines because they believe that the opportunities for economic advancement in the Philippines is greater than the more highly taxed and regulated South Korean economy.

There does seem to be a few changes afoot in the world today. As the political barriers to immigration weaken and as the world becomes increasingly globalized, more and more people from rich or poor countries will be looking at a broader range of economic options to improve their standard of living and the old patterns of net migration from poor to rich countries may change.

 (photo by MisterEels)

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