There is a feeling among many people in Europe, especially the UK, that we are being overwhelmed by migrants. Not true. First, it’s important to distinguish between legal (controlled) and illegal migration.

Second, looking at illegal migrants the numbers don’t fit the scale of the anxiety.  According to The Economist, “the share of the world’s population who live outside their country of birth is just 3.6%. It had barely changed since 1960, when it was 3.1%”  Yes, the number forcibly displaced has grown  (0.6% in 2021, 1.4% in 2022), but this is a sixth of the number in the years following WW2.

According to the UN, around half of those forcibly displaced remain in their own countries. Many of those who do move countries eventually return. What is worrying that most of the burden of illegal migration falls on poorer countries.

Finally, there is very little evidence that migrants  are an economic  drain on host countries. Quite the opposite, in fact. According to one estimate (also quoted by The Economist) totally free movement of people around the world would double global GDP.

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