The Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released it 2010 International Migration Outlook, which analyses recent developments in migration movements and policies in OECD countries. The report highlights the fact that international migration has fallen during the economic crisis but notes that migration will be the key to long-term economic growth: migrants will be needed to fill labour and skill shortages.
The OECD report also notes that the number of asylum seekers globally continues to rise, according to data gathered between 1999 and 2008. In 2008, the United States was the largest receiving country in absolute numbers at 39,400, whilst France, Canada, the United Kingdom and Italy all received over 30,000 asylum seekers. Norway, Sweden and Switzerland are the main receiving countries related to their population. According to the report, Iraq, Serbia and Afghanistan are the most important countries of origin.