Key facts
- Approximately 19 million people migrated from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE since 2010.
- The annual migration rate has increased since 2000, with dips during the 2008-09 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Middle East received the highest global inflow of migrants, mainly from South Asia and the Philippines.
- The study created the first dataset of migration flows between all countries from 1990-2023 using deep learning algorithms.
An estimated 19 million individuals have migrated from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates since 2010, according to a new study. Researchers from the London School of Economics and Political Science, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, and the University of Hong Kong developed the first comprehensive dataset of global migration flows from 1990 to 2023.
The study indicates an average of 1.35 million migrants moved to these Gulf nations annually during the specified period. This volume of movement is significant when compared to the 13.6 million movements from Mexico to the United States recorded since 1990. The research highlights that the Middle East experienced the highest total inflow of migrants globally, with a substantial portion originating from South Asia and the Philippines.
Co-author Guy Abel noted that the migration rate has been on an upward trend since 2000, attributing this sustained increase to long-term demographic shifts and economic development rather than isolated crises. The researchers employed deep learning algorithms to combine official statistics, census data, and geographic and economic factors, providing a more detailed picture than traditional, fragmented data sources.
Traditional migration data, often published at five- or ten-year intervals by organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank, can miss significant events such as wars, recessions, pandemics, or climate shocks. The detailed dataset developed by the researchers is expected to aid policymakers in responding to crises, planning services, and understanding global migration trends, particularly in the Global South where data has historically been less abundant.