BUSINESS MIGRATION
A 
report out of the 2026 
International Migration Review 
Forum (IMRF) is calling for 
more effective global talent poli-
cies amid migration trends and labour 
shortages. The paper, Business Perspectives 
on Migration: What works and what 
doesn’t, comes from the International 
Organisation of Employers’ (IOE) Business 
Advisory Group on Migration, with input 
from mobility organizations like CERC, 
which serves as a member of its  
Executive Committee. 
The report combines feedback from 
large corporations, national employers’ 
organizations and industry associations to 
examine the growing disconnect between 
global labour migration systems and 
modern workforce needs, while suggesting 
ways to reach a more balanced  
migration model.
IOE’s report arrives during a period of 
sustained global migration. According 
By Matthew Bradford
Unpacking key takeaways from IOE’s business migration report
MODERN 
MIGRATION FOR A 
 FOR A 
MODERN ECONOMY
to its research, more than 304 million 
migrants worldwide were counted by 
mid-2024 (up from 275 million in 2020), 
with labour migrants representing over 
half (167.7 million) and forming 4.7 
per cent of the labour force in destina-
tion countries. Breaking it down further, 
68.4 per cent of migrant workers were in 
services, 24.3 per cent in industry and  
7.4 per cent in agriculture.
Yet, while global migration numbers 
continue to climb, employers worldwide 
are experiencing the highest levels of 
talent shortages in 15 years, particularly 
in sectors such as information, hospi-
tality and leisure, and health and social 
services. The report goes on to suggest 
long-standing gaps in migration policy and 
governance are resulting in skills short-
ages across all regions and industries, as 
employers struggle to identify the talent 
required to fill roles in a rapidly evolving 
world of work.
“Today’s businesses operate with global, 
flexible and digitally enabled workforces, 
yet migration policies remain rigid, 
overly bureaucratic and slow to adapt, 
creating a collision of business needs with 
dysfunctional and outdated policies that 
restrict access to talent and undermine 
competitiveness,” says Stéphanie Winet, 
IOE’s head of stakeholder engagement. 
“This disconnect is further compounded 
by inflexible visa categories, inconsistent 
72 per cent of employers report difficulty filling 
vacancies, double the rate from a decade ago
Summer 2026  PERSPECTIVES  15

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