Migration information web resources

This page lists migration information web resources that do not engage in explicit advocacy and are generally considered neutral or objective sources. For sources with an explicit pro-immigration agenda, see pro-immigration web resources. For sources with an explicit anti-immigration agenda, see anti-immigration web resources. See also immigration law web resources and consumer-oriented visa and migration help resources.

Note that just because a source claims to be objective or neutral does not mean that its research is necessarily higher quality or that it does not have an agenda. Conversely, just because a source has an explicit, upfront agenda does not make its research necessarily unreliable or low quality.

You might also be interested in polling data on migration.

Institutes and research centers that cover migration worldwide, in terms of migration trends, laws, policies, and impacts

Name of institute or research center Affiliation and geographic location Focus areas
Migration Policy Institute (website: migratiopolicy.org; Wikipedia page) independent think tank, located in Washington DC in the US covers migration, mainly to the United States (see here) and to/from/within Europe (see here).
Institute for the Study of International Migration (website: isim.georgetown.edu) part of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, located in the US describes itself as “Applying the best in social science, legal and policy expertise to the complex and controversial issues raised by international migration.”
International Migration Institute (website: www.imi.ox.ac.uk) part of Oxford University, located in the UK describes itself as “committed to developing a long-term and forward-looking perspective on international migration. We see migration as part of broader processes of global change and development.”
Center for Comparative Immigration Studies (website: ccis.ucsd.edu) University of California, San Diego, located in the US describes itself as “a leading international research center studying the challenges and opportunities created by migration throughout the world.”

Sources, hubs, and initiatives for migration-related data, some of which are led to migration-exclusive organizations, some by organizations with other focus areas

Name of initiative/project/data hub Institution or research center to which this is affiliated More details
Global Knowledge Project on Migration and Development (KNOMAD) (Wikipedia page, page about them on Open Borders) A project of the World Bank, in collaboration with the Global Forum on Migration and Development and the Global Migration Group It self-describes as envisaged to be a global hub of knowledge and policy expertise on migration and development issues.”
MPI Data Hub Migration Policy Institute (website: migratiopolicy.org; Wikipedia page) Includes comparative data about migration flows and proportions of migrants by source and target country and foreign-born for specific source and target country pairs.
Improving Migration Data Initiative Center for Global Development (website: cgdev.org; page about them on Open Borders; Wikipedia page). This focuses on global migration flows, considering both source and target countries. Improves migration data collection with a special emphasis of the impact of migration on migrants as well as the source and target countries of migration. Intended to correct perceived deficiencies in existing data that focus too much on target countries.
Migration as a Tool for Disaster Recovery Initiative Center for Global Development (website: cgdev.org; page about them on Open Borders; Wikipedia page). This focuses on global migration flows, considering both source and target countries. Focused on how migration can be an integral part of disaster recovery. Related material at Emigration: the solution for Haiti’s woes?
IMPALA database (website: impaladatabase.org, page about them on Open Borders) Cross-institutional collaboration, including Harvard University, London School of Economics, University of Sydney, University of Amsterdam, and University of Luxembourg a database on the immigration policies and laws of various countries. Not yet publicly available, but the website has some information.
Think Immigration a project of the Immigration Policy Center (run by the American Immigration Council) a collaborative resource (described as a “policy wiki”) to discuss immigration-related issues in the US context from a variety of perspectives. Note that although the Immigration Policy Center itself is pro-immigration, this resource is intended to collect arguments and perspectives on all sides of the debate.
Migrant Integration Policy Index British Council and Migration Policy Group Contains information and comparative analyses of migrant integration for many countries, including the US and European countries. Note that the definition of migrant integration is controversial, and the connection with openness of borders is tenuous.

Institutes that cover migration with a strong regional focus

Name of institute or research center Affiliation and geographic location Region of focus Focus areas
Institute for Immigration Research (website: iir.gmu.edu) George Mason University, located in the US Migration to the United States On its about page, claims to ask and answer the question: “To what extent, and in what ways, are immigrants, especially immigrant entrepreneurs, producing positive economic benefits for the U.S. economy?”
Mexican Migration Project Migration from Mexico to the United States (including reverse migration flows)
Immigration topic on the Brookings Institution website Think tank located in Washington DC, the United States Migration to the United States
Migrationsinfo.se Sweden Migration to Sweden Focuses on providing empirical data to inform the migration debate in Sweden.