This paper will provide an overview of the migration dynamics along the Eastern Corridor in the early months of 2020 before the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic hit the region, including a gender analysis of the profiles of migrants on the Eastern Corridor, as well as insights into the drivers of migration and the key protection challenges migrants on this route report facing. The paper will do so by drawing on a recent IOM Regional Data Hub for East and Horn of Africa (RDH) multistage research project aimed at better understanding the experiences, decision-making, perceptions, and expectations of young Ethiopians (15–29 years) along the Eastern Route regarding their migration projects. Quantitative surveys were conducted with over 3,500 migrants in addition to 66 in-depth qualitative interviews conducted in Obock. Following the overview of migration dynamics along the route, the paper will examine the impact of COVID-19 on migration trends in the region in 2020, in particular relating to movement restrictions and migrant vulnerabilities. This analysis will be done using different IOM data sources targeting specific sub-groups of the population at different stages of their migration journey to provide a holistic understanding of the mobility picture.