Covid effect: International migration growth down by 27% due to border closures Migrants from diverse nations who had already succeeded in crossing the border wait in line outside a National Institute of Migration (INM) office for the officials to provide them with humanitarian visas (REUTERS)Premium Migrants reduced by 2 million in the mid of 2020, said the UN The numbers were projected to grow by 7 to 8 million between mid-2019 and mid-2020 Share Via Read Full Story A new UN report estimates that the Covid-19 pandemic reduced the number of international migrants by 2 million by the middle of 2020 because of border closings and a halt to travel worldwide — an estimated 27% decrease in expected growth.