The Ins and Outs of International Migration

Joseph Chamie, United Nations

As international migration has been thrust to the forefront of the international agenda, the need for accurate, timely and comparable information and analyses on international migration levels, trends and policies has acquired unprecedented urgency. But available information and analyses have not kept pace with growing demands. In an effort to meet these demands, the United Nations Population Division recently compiled the latest available key information on international migration for all countries and regions of the world. This information include estimates of migrant stock, net migration flows, refugees and workers’ remittances for 1990 and 2000. The preparation of current and past estimates of international migration raises fundamental conceptual, methodological and policy issues. Perhaps most significant among these issues are: the definition of migrants; the methods of estimating migration in the absence of data; the appropriate indicators of international migration; and how to reconcile past estimates with new political realities.