Following the COVID-19 pandemic, labor demand in developed countries surged, leading to a record high in legal immigration in 2023. The United States emerged as the top destination, while South Korea recorded the second-highest immigration growth rate in the world.
This trend raises concerns about potential economic and social tensions between native citizens and immigrants. As immigrant populations continue to grow, there are increasing fears that these tensions could develop into more significant social issues. In the U.S., immigration also became a critical political issue, influencing the outcome of the most recent presidential election.
According to a report released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Thursday, 6.5 million people were granted permanent residency and immigrated to the 38 OECD member countries last year. This represents a 10% increase from the previous record of 6 million in 2022, marking a new all-time high.
Jean-Christophe Dumont, Head of the OECD International Migration Division, explained that the rise in immigration can be attributed to several factors, including a strong economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, labor shortages, and demographic shifts such as a declining working-age population.
The United States topped the list, welcoming 1,189,800 new immigrants, a 13.4% increase from the previous year’s 1,048,700. The United Kingdom followed in second place, receiving 746,900 immigrants, which marks a 52.9% increase from 484,400 in 2022, making it the country with the highest growth rate in the world.
South Korea was ranked second globally in terms of immigration growth rate. The number of immigrants to South Korea surged by 50.9%, from 57,800 in 2022 to 87,100 in 2023, an increase of 29,300.