International Migrants Day
Next: December 18, 2026
For everyone far from home.
The story
Where it comes from
On 18 December 1990 the UN General Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. Ten years later, on 4 December 2000, noting the large and growing number of migrants in the world, the Assembly proclaimed the anniversary International Migrants Day in resolution 55/93. It is a day for the people who live and work far from where they were born, and for the contribution they make to the places they leave and the places they join.
How it's celebrated
The UN invites governments, international organisations and community groups to mark the day by sharing information on migrants' rights, exchanging experience and planning action to protect them. UN offices, cities and migrant associations hold events and talks. On a personal level, it is a good day to send a card to someone who lives far from home, or to thank a neighbour who came from elsewhere.
Did you know
- The UN estimates there were 304 million international migrants in 2024, about 3.7 per cent of the world's population and nearly double the 154 million of 1990.
- Women make up 48 per cent of the world's international migrants, according to the UN.
- In 2024, India, China and the Philippines were among the world's five largest recipients of money sent home by migrants, according to the World Bank.
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