Laser cladding technology has been widely applied in the equipment manufacturing, petrochemical and other fields. However, problems including cracks, holes, inclusions, uneven distribution of solution elements and surface fluctuation in the cladding coatings have restricted its application. Thus, in order to develop the laser manufacturing and remanufacturing technology, it is of great significance to improve the quality of the cladding coatings, especially to reduce the cracks in the coatings with high hardness. Electromagnetic field assisted laser cladding technology has the characteristics of multiple combination forms, strong controllability and remarkable effect. By applying electromagnetic field during the laser cladding process, the stirring effect of the electromagnetic force on the molten pool can change the mass and heat transfer process, which can finally improve the quality of the cladding coating, refine microstructure and improve performance. The application background and technical characteristics of electromagnetic field assisted laser cladding technology were introduced and the latest research progress of electromagnetic field assisted laser cladding technology in China and abroad was systematically reviewed. The effect mechanism of electromagnetic field on laser cladding process was summarized, and the effect mechanism of electromagnetic field on melt motion behavior and solidification process was discussed in detail. The effect of electromagnetic field on melt movement behavior was mainly reflected in electromagnetic stirring effect, electromagnetic braking effect, thermoelectric magnetofluid effect, electric migration effect and skin effect. The effect of electromagnetic field on melt solidification process was mainly reflected in grain breakage effect, radical fluctuation effect and Joule heating effect. The effects of different electromagnetic fields (single magnetic field, single electric field and electromagnetic composite field) on the microstructure and properties of laser cladding layers were analyzed in detail. The advantages and disadvantages of different electromagnetic fields were also compared and analyzed. Moreover, the material systems of electromagnetic field assisted laser cladding coatings were summarized, including Fe-based coatings, Ni-based coatings, Co-based coatings and composite coatings. The internal mechanism of the effect of electromagnetic field on the homogenization of the microstructure, together with the distribution regularity of the precipitation and strengthening phases in the coatings, was discussed emphatically. Combined with the latest achievements of electro-magnetic-ultrasonic multi-field coupling assisted laser cladding technology, the effect of electromagnetic field and ultrasonic field coupling on laser cladding coating was described. Finally, in view of the main problems existing in electromagnetic field assisted laser cladding technology at present, the future development direction was prospected.