International migration research is entering a phase in which digitalization reshapes how migration processes are measured, modeled, and governed. At the same time, recent scholarship emphasizes the need to further develop migration theory so that it reflects contemporary migration dynamics and evolving data environments. This article proposes a global framework for “digital migration systems” that integrates classic migration theories with digital-demography infrastructures and digital trace data. The framework conceptualizes migration as a multi-scalar system in which origin and destination contexts, policy regimes, and network dynamics interact with measurement technologies and data architectures. Building on digital-era demographic scholarship, the article outlines how traditional population sources such as censuses and household surveys can be combined with administrative records and digital trace data while maintaining attention to representativeness, coverage, and bias. The article then presents a modeling pathway connecting spatial interaction models and Bayesian approaches to common migration data constraints. Finally, it develops policy applications illustrating how a digital migration systems perspective can support scenario-based policy evaluation, rapid shock assessment, and local capacity planning. The article contributes a conceptual bridge integrating migration theory, digital measurement infrastructures, and policy analysis. It also clarifies scope conditions for applying the framework across diverse national contexts.
Ernesto F. L. Amaral (Thu,) studied this question.