Migration is a growing and dynamic phenomenon. The number of international migrants in the world increased by one-third in the 13 years to 2013, to the level of 232 million. Countries of origin have become more diversified over time, while new countries of destination and transit have emerged. In addition, migrants are today more skilled than ever and women represent a growing share of migrants, in particular skilled ones. Intra-regional flows are on the rise across the world, including within the OECD area and Europe. The challenge of how to reach out to diasporas is shared among all countries, irrespectively of their income and development levels.

International migration has rapidly grown and changed in composition in the last few decades. Countries of origin and destination have also become more diverse. Countries of destination have migration management and integration high in their policy agendas, while countries of origin put emphasis on protecting their citizens abroad and maintaining their bonds with them. The potential contribution that diasporas can make towards the development of their home countries is now fully acknowledged. The availability of high-quality and internationally comparable data on the size and characteristics of the migrant populations by country of origin is a prerequisite for proper analysis of migration as well as for the implementation of effective policies by countries on both sides of the migration phenomenon.

Whether diasporas can help foster development depends on their characteristics, such as size, composition, skill levels and degree of concentration, but also on the degree of integration into the destination countries and the economic, political and social environment in countries of origin. This chapter presents a panorama of the diasporas, with a focus on highly educated migrants and labour market outcomes, prior to and after the economic crisis. Looking forward, the chapter also presents data on the desire to emigrate for different population groups, based on the results of the latest Gallup World Poll Survey.