How many migrants crossed international borders in 2023?
Executive summary
Global and regional counts vary by definition, but available sources put major 2023 totals in three different ways: roughly 184 million people living outside their country of nationality (stock of international migrants) [1], about 6.5 million new permanent-type immigrants into OECD countries in 2023 [2], and very large irregular‑crossing counts at specific borders—notably over two million U.S. Border Patrol “encounters” in FY2023 and roughly 380,000 irregular detections at the EU external border in 2023 [3] [4]. These figures measure different phenomena (stocks vs. flows; regular admissions vs. irregular crossings), so direct comparisons are misleading [5].
1. What “crossed international borders” can mean — three different measures
Statistics cited in reporting mix at least three concepts: the stock of international migrants (how many people live abroad), annual flows of admitted migrants (permanent or temporary legal arrivals), and detected irregular crossings or “encounters” at particular frontiers. The World Bank’s World Development Report frames the stock at about 184 million people living outside their country of nationality [1]. The OECD reports 6.5 million new permanent‑type immigrants into OECD countries in 2023, a flow measure for legal admissions [2]. Border enforcement agencies count “encounters” or detections — for example, U.S. Border Patrol recorded over two million encounters in 2023 and Frontex counted about 380,000 irregular crossings at the EU external border in 2023 — which are operational measures, not nationalities‑based immigration tallies [3] [4].
2. The U.S. southern border: encounters, appointments and policy effects
U.S. data in 2023 show exceptionally high operational activity: multiple sources report more than two million Border Patrol encounters in FY2023 and record single‑month highs such as December’s surge [3] [6]. Migration Policy Institute and CBP reporting explain much of that rise as a mix of crossings between ports of entry (encounters) and increased arrivals via lawful appointment systems like CBP One, which shifted some flows into ports of entry [3] [7]. Official CBP monthly releases document hundreds of thousands of unique individuals and record removal/return operations—DHS reported removing or returning over 472,000 individuals May–Dec 2023 [8].
3. Europe’s external border: Frontex’s irregular‑crossing tally
Frontex’s preliminary calculations put irregular border crossings at the EU’s external border in 2023 at approximately 380,000, driven by Mediterranean routes—the Central Mediterranean alone accounted for about 41% of detections [4]. Frontex also highlights changing origin mixes (e.g., nearly half from West Africa) and a sharp rise in unaccompanied minors to over 20,000 in 2023, underscoring that these are detections of irregular movement rather than inflow authorizations or residency statistics [4].
4. OECD and international admissions: the legal‑migration story
For countries that compile comparable administrative data, 2023 saw historic legal inflows: the OECD reports a record 6.5 million new permanent‑type immigrants in the OECD area in 2023, driven by family and humanitarian migration [2]. The Migration Data Portal stresses that country definitions differ and that OECD figures capture only part of global flows, so they should not be treated as a global total [5].
5. Why single numbers mislead — definitions, double‑counting and enforcement framing
Operational counts (encounters, apprehensions, expulsions) can double‑count repeat crossers and reflect enforcement activity, not unique migrants admitted as residents; conversely, administrative admission figures (permanent entries, work permits) exclude irregular movement and different visa categories [3] [5]. International organizations warn that cross‑country comparability is limited and that “flows” and “stocks” capture distinct policy realities [5] [9].
6. How journalists and policymakers should read 2023 figures
Use the right number for the question: cite the World Bank/UN/IOM for how many people live outside their country (~184 million stock) [1], cite OECD for official permanent admissions into wealthy countries (6.5 million in 2023) [2], and cite operational agencies (CBP, Frontex) for irregular detections and enforcement metrics (over two million U.S. Border Patrol encounters; ~380,000 EU irregular crossings) [3] [4]. Where sources diverge, note differing definitions and possible political uses: enforcement counts are often used to emphasize crisis, while admissions numbers show legal mobility gains [3] [2].
Limitations: available sources do not provide a single, agreed global count of “how many migrants crossed international borders in 2023” because data systems measure different things; national reporting, operational encounters, and international statistics are not directly additive or equivalent [5].