International Migration and Development

Migration of workers across international boundaries in search of economic opportunity has enormous implications for growth and welfare in both origin and destination countries. However, it has remained relatively under-researched, owing to both data insufficiency and political sensitivities.

With the recent increase in remittance flows to developing countries, and with workforces in OECD countries expected to shrink in the decades beyond 2010, there has been heightened interest in migration among policymakers in developing and developed countries as well as in bilateral, multilateral, and research institutions.

This research program seeks to fill the gaps in existing knowledge about migration. It includes extensive data-gathering and analysis on the development impact of migration, so as to identify migration policies, regulations and institutional reforms by developed and developing countries that will lead to improved development outcomes.