Connecting with Emigrants

The potential of diasporas as a source of economic and social development in
origin countries and whether diasporas could help foster development depend 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 origin
countries. Governments of origin and destination countries can indeed
facilitate the involvement of diasporas, by supporting networks, by
facilitating communication channels with the country of origin, by creating an
enabling environment, or – more directly – by easing skill mobility and use.
In this regard, the capacity to characterise the profile of diasporas is
instrumental.

This joint OECD/AFD publication includes 140 country notes summarising
diaspora sizes, including the number of children of migrants born in the
destination countries; the characteristics of emigrant populations (gender,
age, education, labour market outcomes); the numbers and main destinations of
international students; recent migrant flows to OECD countries; and
information on the desire to emigrate of different population groups. The
country note information is grouped into six regions: Asia and Oceania; Latin
America and the Caribbean; OECD countries; Non-OECD Europe and Central Asia;
Middle East and North Africa; and Sub-Saharan Africa. The situation in each
region is introduced by a separate chapter, which looks at historical
migration trends, the main characteristics of diasporas originating from the
region, and likely future developments and challenges.