In today’s society, we are defined by our ability to reach every corner of the world in an instant. We can share ideas and move between geographies, cultures and continents like never before. So it’s not surprising people are on the move. In fact, according to figures from the United Nations, there are now 243 million international migrants, representing roughly 3.4% of the global population.

Migration is a major dimension of globalization, but today we live in a time of huge political and economic uncertainty – one where many countries are questioning their national identities and their status within the international community. As such, migration and migrant matters have become some of the most talked-about topics of today’s political and media discourse, with the dominant narratives focusing either on remittance flows by migrants to relatives in their home countries or friction within their host country.

But we could view international migration differently. Looking beyond the headlines, migrants contribute to the economies of countries they move to with the skills they bring, the taxes they pay, the jobs they fill, and their ability to normalize demographics in communities that have high levels of ageing populations.

To address some common myths or misconceptions about migration, we have undertaken a data visualization project with the Economist Intelligence Unit, entitled “What Migrants Bring”. The study does not make a case for or against migration, but instead seeks to understand how migrants impact the countries they settle in. Read more…