International Migrants Day (December 18): Facts, History & Rights
Doctors and farm workers, students and builders, carers and entrepreneurs — around one in every 30 people on Earth lives outside the country where they were born. International Migrants Day, observed by the United Nations every year on December 18, recognises the contributions of the world’s migrants and calls for their rights and safety to be protected.
| Name | International Migrants Day |
|---|---|
| When | Every year on December 18 |
| Next date | Friday, December 18, 2026 · in 55 days |
| Type | International & World Days |
| Observed in | Worldwide |
| Topic | Awareness & CausesCulture & Heritage |
| First observed | 2000 |
| Founded by | United Nations |
| Hashtag | #MigrantsDay |
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Date | December 18 every year |
| Proclaimed by | UN General Assembly, resolution 55/93 (December 4, 2000) |
| Why December 18 | The Migrant Workers Convention was adopted on December 18, 1990 |
| Lead agency | International Organization for Migration (IOM) |
| International migrants worldwide | About 281 million (IOM World Migration Report) |
| Hashtags | #MigrantsDay #InternationalMigrantsDay |
Why the UN Chose December 18
On December 18, 1990, the UN General Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. It sets out basic rights for migrants and their families, whether they are in a country regularly or not — such as protection from forced labour, fair working conditions and access to emergency medical care. The convention entered into force in 2003. Ten years after its adoption, in 2000, the UN proclaimed December 18 as International Migrants Day.
Migration by the Numbers
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| International migrants | About 281 million — 3.6% of the world’s population |
| Migrant workers | Around 169 million (ILO) |
| Top destination country | United States (around 51 million migrants) |
| Largest country of origin | India (around 18 million people living abroad) |
| Remittances to low- and middle-income countries | Over US$650 billion a year (World Bank) |
| Migrant deaths recorded in 2023 | About 8,500 — the deadliest year on record (IOM Missing Migrants Project) |
Figures are rounded and taken from the latest IOM, ILO and World Bank reports.
Migrant, Refugee or Asylum Seeker?
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Migrant | Anyone who moves away from their usual home, within a country or across a border, for any reason |
| Migrant worker | A person who moves to work in another country |
| Refugee | Someone forced to flee war or persecution and protected under the 1951 Refugee Convention |
| Asylum seeker | A person who has applied for refugee protection and is waiting for a decision |
| Internally displaced person | Forced to flee home but still inside their own country |
👉 Related day: World Refugee Day — June 20
How Migrants Shape the World
- Economies: Migrants fill labour shortages in health care, farming, construction, technology and care for the elderly.
- Families back home: Remittances pay for school fees, food, medicine and housing — for many countries they are larger than foreign aid.
- Innovation: Migrants and their children have founded many of the world’s best-known companies and won numerous Nobel Prizes.
- Culture: Food, music, language and festivals enrich cities everywhere.
Challenges Migrants Face
- Dangerous journeys across deserts and seas, and exploitation by smugglers and traffickers
- Unpaid wages, confiscated passports and unsafe workplaces
- Discrimination, xenophobia and hate speech
- Separation from families and difficulty accessing health care and education
- Climate change forcing people from their homes
Global Agreements on Migration
| Year | Agreement |
|---|---|
| 1951 | IOM founded (UN related organisation since 2016) |
| 1990 | Migrant Workers Convention adopted |
| 2000 | International Migrants Day proclaimed |
| 2016 | New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants |
| 2018 | Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration adopted in Marrakech |
How to Observe International Migrants Day
- Listen to migrant stories — in your workplace, school or neighbourhood.
- Support local organisations that teach languages, give legal advice or help newcomers find work.
- Challenge myths and hateful comments online with facts.
- Learn about your own family’s migration history — most families have one.
- Shop at migrant-owned businesses and try a cuisine you have never tasted.
- Volunteer as a mentor or conversation partner.
👉 Related: National Immigrants Day
👉 Same day: World Arabic Language Day — December 18
When is International Migrants Day?
International Migrants Day is observed every year on December 18. Here are the dates for the coming years:
| Year | Date | Day of the week | Countdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | December 18, 2026 | Friday | in 55 days |
| 2027 | December 18, 2027 | Saturday | in 420 days |
| 2028 | December 18, 2028 | Monday | in 786 days |
| 2029 | December 18, 2029 | Tuesday | in 1151 days |
| 2030 | December 18, 2030 | Wednesday | in 1516 days |
| 2031 | December 18, 2031 | Thursday | in 1881 days |
FAQ
International Migrants Day is observed every year on December 18.
On December 18, 1990 the UN adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.
The UN General Assembly proclaimed it on December 4, 2000, in resolution 55/93.
According to the IOM, there are about 281 million international migrants, roughly 3.6% of the world’s population.
A migrant may move for many reasons, such as work, study or family. A refugee has been forced to flee war or persecution and has special protection under international law.