OECD sees migration rise by 10%

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Migration into Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries rose by 10% in 2005, according to the body's latest report.

The OECD's International Migration Outlook study said four million people arrived in its member states that year.

Regarding the UK, it said that 9.7% of the British population in 2005 was born overseas, about 5.8 million people.

The OECD represents 30 of the leading democratic economics, from Australia to the US, France to Japan.

'Better integration'

It says that family reunification is the largest single reason for migration, but labour migration is a growing motivation.

The international mobility of people needs to be well managed Angel Gurria, Secretary General OECD

The US, Spain, UK and Canada absorbed the highest proportion of these immigrants in 2005, it found.

It estimates that 473,800 settled in the UK that year.

Its four million figure relates to migrants arriving to stay in OECD states on a permanent basis.

The OECD says temporary labour migration reached 1.8 million during 2005. The figures exclude illegal migration.

It added that its member nations need to pay more attention to the integration of migrants.

OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria said "the international mobility of people needs to be well managed".

Declaring that migration is necessary to offset labour shortages and ageing populations, the OECD says "immigrants and their families have to be well integrated into the host-country economy and society".

It cites a lack of integration as the reason why many second-generation immigrants experience high levels of unemployment.