Migration into and between 35 of the world's richest countries is on course to hit a record of 5 million permanent immigrants in 2016, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Thursday. Figures for 2015 showed migration into OECD countries has reached its highest level since before the world economic crisis of 2008, at 4.7 million compared to a record of 4.73 million in 2007, dpa quoted the OECD as saying. Preliminary data showed permanent migration flows to OECD countries should reach 5 million entries in 2016, the Paris-based organization said in its annual report on migration trends. Refugee and humanitarian movements were the main driver behind the rise in 2015 and 2016, with 1.6 million asylum applications registered in each year in OECD countries. Germany had the highest rate of asylum applications in 2016, with 9 per 1,000 population. Next-highest were Austria and Greece, both with 4.5 per 1,000. The main source countries for migrants in 2015 were China, Syria, Romania, Poland and India.
