ABSTRACT
The estimated 185 million international migrants in 2005 make up just below 3 per cent of the global population (see Tables 1.1 and 1.2). Yet international migrants set in motion a long range of significant transnational interactions. Migrants connect countries. Long-lasting and deep migrant networks often result from initially limited flows of migration. Such migration can be of benefit both to source and destination countries. 1 Migrant savings or remittances, the return of migrants with novel work experience or training acquired abroad, or the establishment of investment and trade links are all part of the positive inducements benefiting the development of source countries. Destination countries may gain to a great extent from additional human capital that is taking on jobs shunned by nationals, or where the national workforce is inadequate in meeting the demands of the labour market.
