OECD Permanent Migration Falls 1.6% in 2025
OECD countries recorded 6.1 million new permanent immigrants in 2025, down from 6.2 million the year before.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Immigration
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Permanent migration to developed countries declined 1.6 percent in 2025 compared with 2024, according to OECD data. The 38 OECD countries recorded 6.1 million new permanent immigrants, down from 6.2 million in 2024.
Why it matters
The overall dip masks sharply different national trends, with some countries seeing large rises while the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom recorded declines. The shift reflects a backlash in many Western countries against irregular migrants fleeing conflict, authoritarian rule and economic hardship.
The OECD tallied 6.1 million new permanent immigrants in 2025, a 1.6 percent decline from 6.2 million in 2024, with the number of long-term settlers still 12 percent above 2019 levels. Legal humanitarian migration fell 26 percent while labour migration rose 13 percent, and the breakdown of the remaining flows has not been detailed in the report.
The players
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
An intergovernmental body of 38 member countries that publishes comparative statistics and policy analysis on economic and social issues, including international migration flows.
The details
Portugal recorded a 139 percent increase in permanent migrants to 313,600 people, driven by approvals of a backlog of pending residency permits. Spain rose 25 percent to 460,500 after broadening its residency policies, while Italy increased 45 percent to 248,800, and the United States recorded a 14 percent drop to more than 1.2 million.
Timeline
2024: OECD countries recorded 6.2 million new permanent immigrants, the baseline for the comparison.
2025: Permanent migration to OECD countries declined 1.6 percent.
Thursday, November 12, 2026: The OECD published its report on 2025 migration.
Political Context
The 2025 decline follows the OECD's own tracking of permanent migration, which shows settlement still running 12 percent above 2019 levels despite the drop. The figures reflect the political backlash in many Western countries against irregular migrants, a pressure that the statistics alone cannot fully attribute to policy choices.
For prospective migrants, the sharp variation between countries means residency routes in Portugal and Spain expanded while routes in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom narrowed. Applicants should check current permit rules in their destination country, since approval backlogs and policy broadening are moving the pace of settlement.
The takeaway
The headline decline hides a shift in where migrants are going, with southern European countries absorbing more permanent settlers while traditional destinations recorded drops. Tracking the country-level figures gives a clearer picture than the OECD total alone.
Further reading
Explore more on Immigration to see how permanent migration policy shapes flows across the OECD.
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