There are important variations by region. According to UN DESA (2021), in 2020 the number of female migrants slightly exceeded that of male migrants in Europe, North America and Oceania due in part to the higher life expectancy of women among long-term migrants and to the increasing demand for female migrants for care-related work. By contrast, in Northern Africa and Western Asia as well as in sub-Saharan Africa, the number of male migrants significantly exceeded that of female migrants due to a greater demand from male-dominated industries and to the preponderance of temporary work visa and labour contracts targeting male workers.