Migration: Leveraging Human Capital in the East Asia and Pacific Region: A Companion Piece to the World Development Report 2023 : Migrants, Refugees, and Society

Abstract

Migration in the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region is growing in importance, shaped by workers seeking opportunities abroad and governments implementing policies to meet skills needs and stimulate economic growth. Most migrants in the area are economic migrants, voluntarily moving abroad to pursue opportunities. The region’s diversity, encompassing varying income levels, demographic structures, and types and amounts of human capital formation, is a driver of migration within the area (intraregional migration), especially for low-skilled workers. Rapidly aging populations in the region are accelerating this movement, with traditionally closed but aging countries like Japan and Korea increasingly easing visa restrictions and expanding labor migration quotas to address labor shortages. Origin countries respond to this demand by creating official channels for workers to pursue opportunities abroad. Such economic migration offers benefits for migrants and the countries involved, though challenges remain such as irregular migration and weak labor protections in destination countries. Governments also continue to grapple with the distributional impacts of migration and their political consequences, both in origin and destination countries. These opportunities and challenges underscore the need for policies that enhance the net gains of migration and foster policy coordination and partnerships between origin and destination countries.