1. How developing countries can better measure emigration
Erik Vickstrom
OECD, International Migration Division

2. Outline
Importance of migration data
Gaps in migration data
Recommendations for better migration data
Putting one recommendation into practice: how to use existing data to measure emigration

3. Importance of data on migration
Improving data is crucial for the implementation of the migration-related dimensions of:
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and regular Migration (GCM)
the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR)

4. Global Compact on Migration
The first objective calls on states to “[c]ollect and utilize accurate and disaggregated data as a basis for evidence- based policies”
International cooperation is one of the guiding principles of the GCR, emphasizing that “…no State can address migration on its own due to the inherently transnational nature of the phenomenon.”

5. Sustainable Development Goals
Most prominent and reference to migration is under Goal 10, target 10.7: implement “well managed migration policies”.
There are also calls to ensure that other SDG indicators are disaggregated by migratory status in order to ensure that “nobody is left behind”.
Laczko, 2016

6. Migration data: key challenges
Internationally comparable data relatively scarce
UNSD Tier 3 indicator: Lack of clear concepts, established methodology and standards, regular production by countries
Disaggregated data even more scarce
well-being of migrants, the reasons for migration, skills of migrants, the scale of irregular migration, or the impact of migration policies and programmes

7. Recommendations for better data
“Migrants Count: Five steps to better migration data” (2009):
Ensure that more censuses include basic questions on migration,
Use administrative data on international migrants more extensively,
Make better use of the migration data collected in labour-force surveys,
Integrate migration modules into existing household surveys,
Make publicly available micro-data from migration surveys and censuses.
Laczko (2016):
Make better use of existing data
Exploit the potential of non-traditional data sources (Big Data)
Capacity Building and Development – ensure that migration is integrated into national statistical development plans
Centre for Global Development, 2009

8. Measuring emigration – why do we care?
Building links with their emigrants abroad and engaging with their diasporas have become important issues for government and development agencies in the countries of origin.
Definitive return is not the only way that diasporas can contribute to their home countries.
The contribution of the diasporas to their countries of origin depends greatly on their size and their characteristics, such as the skills and age but also on the integration of migrants in the host- country’s labour market and their income
OECD (2015) Connecting with Emigrants: A Global Profile of Diasporas 2015

9. Measuring emigration – why do we care?
High-quality and internationally comparable data on the size and characteristics of the migrant populations by country of origin necessary:
for proper analysis of migration
for the implementation of effective policies by countries on both sides of the migration phenomenon
OECD (2015) Connecting with Emigrants: A Global Profile of Diasporas 2015

10. Integrating migration into NSDS – National Diaspora Policies

11. Measuring emigration – challenges
Departures tend to be less well recorded than arrivals as most governments are reluctant or unable to closely monitor the exit of persons from their territory
People do not have much incentive to notify the authorities of their departure as there are no benefits to be gained
Difficult to count persons leaving the country from a statistical point of view because of their absence
UNECE (2010), Guidelines for Exchanging Data to Improve Emigration Statistics

12. Measuring emigration through destination countries’ data sources
What can data sources in destination countries, especially censuses, contribute to measuring emigration?
Available, comparable, and exhaustive coverage: allows for comprehensive comparison
Wealth of information (age, sex, labour market situation, education, etc.)
What are the drawbacks of this approach?
Need for a broad coverage in terms of destination countries
Updates every 5 (or 10) years
No question on migration history, nor on reasons for migration

13. The updated Database on Immigrants in OECD countries (DIOC)
First compiled with data from 2000/01 population censuses, then updated for 2005/06 and 2010/11, compilation of DIOC 2015/16 is ongoing (35 OECD countries plus 8 G20 countries).
Draws the profile of emigrant population from over 200 countries of origin on:
Age, gender, educational attainment
Labour market outcomes including occupations and sectors of activity
A special focus on the education and health sectors
Field of study
Provides comparable data from a number of OECD destination countries which makes cross-country analysis possible.
Regular update of DIOC allows analysis of changes over time.
Non-OECD countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania and Russian Federation.
28 countries in 2000/01 and 27 countries in 2005/06 (number of members increased)
A project in collaboration with the World Bank and International Migration Institute (IMI) in Oxford and support from the French Development Agency (AfD) and the Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development.

14. Growing migration to OECD
There are over 112 million migrants in OECD countries in 2010/11, representing 45% of the total international migrant stock estimated by UN-DESA.
The number of immigrants in the OECD increased by 40% from 2000/01, more than the increase in total migrant stock.
In parallel, the share of foreign-born increased in almost all OECD countries.
26% increase in total migrant stock
60% of immigrants originate from a non-OECD country.
New Zealand (+10 percentage points), followed by Luxembourg and Ireland (+8 percentage points). The share of foreign-born in traditional immigration countries like Switzerland, Australia, Canada and the United States increased, respectively, by four, three, two and one percentage points in the last ten years.

15. Top countries of origin
Mexico and the United Kingdom: top origin countries of emigration to OECD.
China and India jumped up the list of top origin countries.
When non-OECD destinations are taken into account, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation make it to the top origin countries
Destination: OECD
Romania: highest relative increase!

16. Highly educated migrants in 2000/01 and 2010/11
In 2010/11, there were 36 million migrants with tertiary education, 63% more than in 2000/01.
The increase in high-educated migrants is driven mainly by Asia and Oceania (81% relative increase), followed by Latin America (79 %) and Sub-Saharan Africa (93%).

17. Top origin countries for highly educated migrants
Asian countries are leading in high-skilled migration. 42% of the migrants in the OECD from this region have tertiary education.
The case is different for Eastern European countries, as their positions in the ranking are mostly due to a size effect. This is also de the case for Mexico.
The United Kingdom and Germany lose ground.

18. Emigration rates of the highly skilled are higher than total emigration rates

19. A large share of highly educated emigrants from low-income countries, small countries and island states
Emigration rates of the highly skilled are higher than total emigration rates
Low-income countries, small countries and island states face a great deal of brain drain (Guyana-93%, Haiti-75%, Trinidad and Tobago-67%, Barbados-65%, Jamaica-47% Tonga -46%, Zimbabwe-44%, Mauritius- 44%, Congo-39%, Gambia-37%, Fiji-34%).
As a final note, I just wanted to say that while using censuses from destination countries seems to be highly relevant to

20. Destination-country statistics can measure emigration flows

21. Easy online access to data

22. Easy online access to data

23. Measuring emigration through destination countries’ data sources
Best way to map out diasporas and their potential contributions to their home country
Talent Abroad: a series of country reviews (Germany, Morroco, Tunisia, Romania, etc.)
Despite important role of destination- country statistics, data from origin country data are critical to study emigration (e.g. emigration rate)

24. Thank you
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DIOC:
IMD: