INTRODUCTION
The Global Overview of Migration Routes is a regular publication that aims to provide a snapshot of global migration dynamics, from a route-based perspective, bringing together data from IOM field operations and Regional Data Hubs. A migration route is a complex concept for which there is no universal definition. However, the European Commission takes a geographical perspective, defining a migration route as: “the geographic route along which migrants and refugees move, via hubs in transit areas, from their country of origin to their country of destination, often travelling in mixed migration flows” (European Commission, 2025). This definition has shaped the approach used in this report to understand the complexities of the routes presented. A route-based approach to migration involves examining migration journeys across geographic spaces and various points in time, whilst acknowledging that they are not always linear, are often fragmented, and may even be circular in nature. Migrants frequently face unexpected challenges during their journey, which force them to adjust their plans, such as spending extended periods in transit locations. They may also change their destination preferences when they encounter issues in the initial destination countries and decide to migrate onwards. Moreover, movements along these routes are often bidirectional, with migrants returning to their countries of origin voluntarily and involuntarily, due to interceptions, detention, and deportation whilst crossing transit countries or entering destination countries irregularly. Journeys along most migratory routes are carried out by mixed populations. These populations face diverse challenges and experiences and may include migrants of various nationalities and backgrounds, migrants with different demographic profiles, as well as migrants travelling for different reasons and with different protection needs, including the need for international protection.As a result, the regularity of movements along routes also varies, adding another layer of complexity when seeking a comprehensive definition of migration routes or when making comparisons between routes. While many movements along the routes covered in this report are irregular, regional and bilateral policy frameworks governing the movement of persons between countries mean that not all stages of the journey along these routes are necessarily irregular. Irregular movements are only one type of migration, a concept which encompasses many types of movements and population categories. Regular migration trends can help contextualize movements in mixed migration flows. Data sources available on this type of movement, such as migrant stock data, data on remittances or data on asylum applications, can provide useful insight into migration dynamics along certain routes. Globally, regular migration is the more common type of mobility, with most migrants residing legally in their destination countries, which are most often in their regions of origin. The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ international migrant stock data for 2024 offers insights into regional regular migration dynamics, highlighting that almost half of the 304 million international migrants identified lived in their region of origin (45%). The proportion of migrants who remain within their regions of origin vary from one region to another. For example, in 2024, 64 per cent of migrants from Sub‑Saharan Africa1 stayed within their region. In contrast, most migrants from Central and Southern Asia (75%) and from Latin America and the Caribbean (71%) moved outside their regions of origin (UNDESA, 2024). THE ANNUAL EDITION (2025) This edition highlights developments and trends in key interregional migration routes during the reporting period (January–December 2025). To provide more in-depth insight into specific trends in the global migration landscape, this report provides spotlight sections to enhance the regular route updates. This edition’s spotlights include: a retrospective look at major changes in global migration routes in 2025, including key policy shifts and an examination of how data on migrant deaths and disappearances can reveal lesser-known migration routes; a spotlight on extra‑regional movements out of Asia and the Pacific to Europe; and a spotlight on how the conflict in Sudan has affected mobility within the region and beyond.