Record High Migration From Poor to Rich Countries in 2023: Study

Of the countries studied, the UK saw the largest year-on-year percentage increase in arrivals and was second only to the United States in terms of raw numbers.

Travelers arrive at Terminal 2 of London Heathrow Airport in London, UK, on April 6, 2022. Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

New data have shown that permanent migration to richer countries hit a record high last year.

Some 6.5 million migrants upped stakes from less-well-off nations to relocate to wealthier nations in 2023, according to figures released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).