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International Migrants Day - December 18, UN observance since 1990

International Migrants Day on December 18 is a United Nations observance established in 1990 to mark the adoption of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. Not a public holiday.

UN

International observancePublished 15 de octubre de 2026

De un vistazoInternational observance
Se observa en
UN
Cuándo
diciembre
Frecuencia
Misma fecha cada año
Tipo
Días libres
Varía por país
Estatuto público
Varía por país; consulta el boletín oficial local
Última revisión: 15 de octubre de 2026
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International Migrants Day on December 18 is a United Nations observance established in 2000 to mark the 1990 International Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. Observed by the UN IOM and over 100 countries. Not a public holiday.

The one-line summary

UN observance on December 18. Established 2000 by UNGA. Marks the 1990 International Convention on Migrant Workers. UN IOM coordinates. Not a public holiday.

Origin and history

International Migrants Day was established by the UN General Assembly in December 2000 through Resolution 55/93. The date was chosen to mark the December 18, 1990 adoption of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

The convention was drafted over a decade of negotiations, driven largely by migrant-sending states (Mexico, the Philippines, Morocco, and others) and labour unions concerned with the rights of the world\'s growing migrant labour force. The convention entered into force on July 1, 2003, after receiving the necessary 20 ratifications. As of 2024, 56 states are parties - notably none of the major migrant-receiving countries (US, UK, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia, UAE).

The day has grown in salience with rising migration flows and political attention to migration globally. The 2018 UN Global Compact for Migration, signed by 164 states (the US withdrew during negotiations), reinforced the day as a focal point for international migration governance.

281MInternational migrants globally
56States party to the Migrant Workers Convention
2000Year established by UNGA

How it is observed

The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM, now part of the UN system since 2016) and UN DESA host events. The IOM publishes the World Migration Report timed to the day. National governments, diaspora organisations, and migrant rights NGOs host cultural events, recognition ceremonies, and policy discussions.

Diaspora communities use the day to celebrate their heritage and contributions to host countries. Many cities with large diaspora populations (Toronto, London, Dubai, Singapore) host community events. Schools in migrant-receiving countries often run cultural awareness programmes.

🇲🇽
Mexico
Mexico is the world\'s largest migrant-sending country. Mexican consulates worldwide host December 18 events. The country also has a separate Día del Migrante on December 3, a national holiday.
🇵🇭
Philippines
The Philippines has the world\'s largest diaspora of overseas workers (10M+). Migrant Workers Day is June 7 (separate national observance). December 18 events target overseas Filipino workers.
🇲🇦
Morocco
Morocco was a leading advocate for the 1990 Migrant Workers Convention. December 18 events emphasise both Moroccan diaspora communities and Morocco\'s role as a transit and receiving state.
🇹🇷
Turkey
Turkey hosts 3.5M+ Syrian refugees - the largest refugee population globally. December 18 events focus on refugee and migrant rights, integration policy, and social cohesion.
🇩🇪
Germany
Germany is Europe\'s largest migrant-receiving country. December 18 events focus on integration policy, labour migration, and the post-2015 Syrian refugee experience.
🇨🇴
Colombia
Colombia hosted 1.7M+ Venezuelan migrants as of 2024. December 18 events highlight Temporary Protected Status (Estatuto Temporal de Protección) for Venezuelans.

Controversies and criticism

International Migrants Day has been criticised by migrant-receiving states as one-sided. The 1990 convention is widely seen as focusing on labour rights rather than border control, and major receiving states (US, UK, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia, UAE) have refused to ratify it.

Proponents argue the convention is essential precisely because migrant workers - particularly low-wage and undocumented workers - are vulnerable to exploitation. The day has also been politicised in countries where migration is a hot-button electoral issue (US, UK, Germany, Italy, France).

In other countriesThe day is one of the few UN observances explicitly focused on migration. World Refugee Day (UN, June 20) addresses refugees specifically; World Population Day (UN, July 11) touches on demographic aspects.

Related observances

December observances include Human Rights Day (Dec 10) and International Mountain Day (Dec 11). World Refugee Day (June 20, UN) is the closest thematic cousin.

Sources

UN International Convention on Migrant Workers1990IOM World Migration Report2024UN Global Compact for Migration2018UN DESA International Migration Stock2024

Preguntas frecuentes

When is International Migrants Day 2026?

Friday, December 18, 2026. International Migrants Day is observed every year on December 18 regardless of the day of the week. The 2026 observance falls on a Friday.

Who established International Migrants Day?

International Migrants Day was established by the UN General Assembly in December 2000 through Resolution 55/93. The date was chosen to mark the December 18, 1990 adoption of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

What is the convention on migrant workers?

The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families was adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 18, 1990. It entered into force on July 1, 2003. As of 2024, 56 states are parties to the convention; the major migrant-receiving countries (US, UK, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia) are not parties.

How is International Migrants Day observed?

The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UN DESA host events. The IOM publishes the World Migration Report timed to the day. National governments, diaspora organisations, and migrant rights NGOs host cultural events, recognition ceremonies, and policy discussions.

How many migrants are there globally?

According to the IOM's World Migration Report 2024, there are approximately 281 million international migrants globally - about 3.6% of the world's population. The largest corridors are Mexico-US, India-UAE, Syria-Turkey, and Bangladesh-India. About 60% of migrants are labour migrants.

Is International Migrants Day a public holiday?

No. International Migrants Day is not a public holiday in any country. It is an observance day that governments, NGOs, and diaspora communities mark through activities. Several countries have related observances on different dates - Mexico's Día del Migrante (December 3, national holiday), Philippines' Migrant Workers Day (June 7).

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