How countries manage migration data : evidence from six countries

With migration data in the global spotlight thanks to processes such as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and others, this report aims to provide a comprehensive picture of how migration data systems work in practice at the national level. IOM’s Global Migration Data Analysis Centre carried out an international comparative study to understand better how countries are meeting a range of different migration data challenges, focusing on six case study countries. The objective of the study is to explore how far countries have been making progress in improving migration data and to understand the practical challenges facing national statistical offices and other stakeholders, the impact of frameworks such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Global Compact for Migration, and more. This first-of-its-kind report on migration data at the global level will help authorities better identify data capacity-building needs and opportunities related to migration data, and it presents a key opportunity to showcase good practices among countries and practitioners. The report is based on interviews with stakeholders in six countries (Canada, Djibouti, Ireland, Jamaica, the Republic of Moldova and Nigeria), including representatives from national statistical offices, line ministries and academia. The report contains six short migration data country profiles and national-level findings, along with a global-level section synthesizing these and discussing the overall implications for the migration data landscape