Australia continues to host the world’s largest per capita number of permanent migrants in the world with 7.7 million, or 30.14 per cent, according to a new report.

The ‘World Population Review’ report, based on United Nations data, found that some countries in such as Saudi Arabia (38 per cent) and the UAE (88 per cent) had higher proportions of migrants, but most of these are guest workers with no pathway to citizenship.

The US is home to the highest number of immigrants in the world, with an estimated 50.6 million people, or more than 15 per cent of the total population of 334.1 million, the report says.

The number of migrants to the US has increased by at least 400 per cent since 1965. The population of migrants in the US is diverse, with nearly every country in the world represented.

However, the Trump administration’s crackdown on migrants has recently dramatically reduced migrant numbers.

Mexico is the leading origin country for migrants, with more than 11 million, or about 25 per cent of all migrants to the United States.

The next largest populations of migrants can be found in Germany (15.8 million or 18.81 per cent), Saudi Arabia (13.5 million of 38,65 per cent), Russia (11.6 million or 7.97 per cent), UAE (8.7 million or 88.13 per cent) and France (8.5 million or 13.06 per cent).

Canada, Australia and Spain rank eighth, ninth and tenth, respectively in terms of total numbers.

India has the largest number of emigrants living abroad with 17.9 million people in total.

The report says emigrant numbers are not always as accurate as immigrant numbers, mostly because most governments are not as concerned about those who leave the country as they are about those who enter and use government-funded services or infrastructure, the report said.

Some countries, however, such as North Korea and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan go to lengths to prevent residents from leaving.

Mexico has the next highest number of emigrants with 11.2 million followed by Russia (10.8 million), China (10.5 million), Syria (8.5 million), Bangladesh (7.4 million), Pakistan (6.3 million), Ukraine and the Philippines (6.1 million) and Afghanistan (5.9 million).

An immigrant is someone who came to the country where they now live from somewhere else, while an emigrant is someone who left their home country and moved somewhere else.

Read the full report: Immigration by Country 2025