Venezuelan Migrants Research Articles

Ethical tensions of migrants in the informal economy in the Global South

AbstractConsidering the ongoing, record‐setting migration in the Global South, this paper explores the values, principles and ethical tensions of Venezuelan migrants in the informal economy of Colombia. We found that migrants frequently prefer to stay within the informal economy as a way of preserving their identities, values and principles, rather than adopting those of their new country. This choice sets up ethical tensions for the migrants and their host countries. Our analysis challenges the current policy goals of transitioning migrants from informal to formal economies as a mark of success and inclusion. Instead, we attempt to recognize the migrant voice and their agency capacity through our research using focus groups and applied thematic analysis (ATA) of popular music and narratives. Our findings broaden the understanding of why migrants choose to stay in the informal economy and challenge policy goals that focus on inclusion and integration of migrants into formal economy.

The vulnerabilities of skilled irregular Venezuelan migrants and entrepreneurs in Chile

ABSTRACT In a context marked by restrictive migration policies, precarious living conditions and a neoliberal market, this article explores how Venezuelan migrants incorporated themselves into the job market through informal entrepreneurship, the challenges they faced, and sources of resilience they developed. We draw on eleven semi-structured and in-depth interviews with Venezuelan migrants who participated in a micro-entrepreneurship training program delivered by a Santiago-based NGO during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the entrepreneurship literature, vulnerability framework and thematic analysis, our findings suggest that there isn’t a one-dimensional incorporation into the labour market experience among the group studied, despite similarities among the members; rather there is a dynamic intersectionality of gender, legal status, household economy and structural factors that amplify their precarity. The findings also highlight that migrants’ capability of acquiring stable employment was essential to their well-being, in the absence of avenues to acquire formal employment, microenterprises became a source of motivation and resilience, providing them with a network of contacts and social support.

The Regional Response to Venezuelan Migration: A Comparative Analysis of Reception Strategies in Colombia, Argentina, and Chile (2015-2019)

This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the legislation, resolutions, and practices concerning regularization procedures and the recognition of fundamental rights (healthcare and education) of Venezuelan migrants between 2015 and 2019 in three host countries: Colombia, Argentina, and Chile. The results show, first, a significant heterogeneity in different legal responses in terms of the possibility of naturalization, application requirements, and the recognition of rights, for example. Second, the analysis focused on three reasons that explain the heterogeneity. Third, the study confirms three characteristics of reception strategies, which considerably affect the social integration of Venezuelan nationals in host countries.

Impact of Venezuelan Migration on the Informal Workforce of Native Workers in Colombia

Colombia experienced a substantial increase in annual migration flow from Venezuela from 2013 to 2019, accumulating 1.7 million migrants by the end of 2019. According to migration data, 2016 was a breaking point in migration growth, with an increase of 137.57% compared with 2015 and at which time the influx of migrant workers began to be massive, rapid, and involuntary. In this regard, the research paper investigates, using a difference-in-differences model, the impacts on the labor market across different definitions of the informal workforce, testing the hypothesis that short-term labor migration increased (1) the number of employed individuals in companies with a workforce of fewer than five people, (2) the number of employed individuals not contributing to the social security system, and (3) the relative participation of the informal workforce in total employment from 2015 to 2018. The main results indicate an expansion in the labor market’s informal segment, increasing the number of non-returned native workers in the informal workforce without significant increases in the participation of informality in total employment. The results remain robust across various samples in models adjusted for departmental-, municipal-, and individual-level data. Following the economic theory, the research findings seem to follow a transmission mechanism in which migrant workers reduce labor costs and increase production in informal markets, providing better conditions to increase informal jobs for native workers. Several national and international stakeholders implementing income-generation alternatives in the border departments focusing on migrant employment services could find the research findings helpful in at least two aspects: (1) fighting cultural stereotypes upon which basis native workers tend to see migration as a threat to their current job holdings requires evidence that shows migrant workers contribute to economic growth and employment; (2) promoting better public policies to take advantage of initial conditions that favor labor integration of migrant workers such as cultural and language similarities among natives and migrants works better when there is evidence of the migration’s positive impacts.

Task Sharing and Remote Delivery of Brief Interpersonal Counseling for Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees Living in Peru during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study.

Refugees and migrants experience an elevated risk for mental health problems and face significant barriers to receiving services. Interpersonal counseling (IPC-3) is a three-session intervention that can be delivered by non-specialists to provide psychological support and facilitate referrals for individuals in need of specialized care. We piloted IPC-3 delivered remotely by eight Venezuelan refugee and migrant women living in Peru. These counselors provided IPC-3 to Venezuelan refugee and migrant clients in Peru (n = 32) who reported psychological distress. Clients completed assessments of mental health symptoms at baseline and one-month post-intervention. A subset of clients (n = 15) and providers (n = 8) completed post-implementation qualitative interviews. Results showed that IPC-3 filled a gap in the system of mental health care for refugees and migrants in Peru. Some adaptations were made to IPC-3 to promote its relevance to the population and context. Non-specialist providers developed the skills and confidence to provide IPC-3 competently. Clients displayed large reductions in symptoms of depression (d = 1.1), anxiety (d = 1.4), post-traumatic stress (d = 1.0), and functional impairment (d = 0.8). Remote delivery of IPC-3 by non-specialists appears to be a feasible, acceptable, and appropriate strategy to address gaps and improve efficiency within the mental health system and warrants testing in a fully powered effectiveness study.

Access to HIV/STI testing among male and female Venezuelan migrants in Peru: evidence from a nationwide survey

BackgroundHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are major global public health issues. Migrants represent a vulnerable group that faces multiple barriers to access to healthcare services, including HIV/STI testing. This study aimed to assess the factors associated with access to HIV/STI testing in male and female Venezuelan migrants in Peru.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study involving secondary data analysis of the 2022 Venezuelan Population Residing in Peru Survey. The study was conducted in the eight most populated cities inhabited by Venezuelan migrants and refugees. For each city, the sampling design was probabilistic, stratified, and independent. The outcome variable was whether participants had access to HIV or other STI testing during their stay in Peru. Statistical analysis was stratified by sex owing to potential effect modification. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios were calculated using generalized linear models Poisson family with log link function. Confidence intervals were calculated to 95%.ResultsA total of 3,723 male and 3,984 female migrants were included. Access to HIV/STI testing among male and female migrants was 19.85% and 25.16%, respectively. Among male migrants, being LGBTI, health insured, and married or cohabiting were associated with increased access to HIV/STI testing. Among females, those aged 18–44 years, those who were married or cohabiting and were health insured, and those residing for more than 1 year in Peru were significantly more likely to have access to HIV/STI testing. Moreover, physical/mental disability and unemployed status were associated with a lower probability of HIV/STI testing in females.ConclusionsOnly two in ten Venezuelan migrants and refugees in Peru were screened for HIV/STI, with fewer males than females. Sex-specific sociodemographic, health-related, and migration-related variables were independently associated with access to HIV/STI testing.

Venezuelan migrant entrepreneurship in Mexico

Entrepreneurship constitutes a means of integration for migrants and is a fundamental key to human development. Under the theoretical need to know the entrepreneurship of Venezuelan migrants in Mexico, the general objective was to describe Venezuelan migrant entrepreneurship in Mexico. The study was approached from the constructivist paradigm and the ethnographic approach, which allowed a deep knowledge of migrant entrepreneurship to be analyzed from the Theories of Social Sciences. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews guided during direct field observation from a non-probabilistic intentional sample of eight Venezuelan migrant entrepreneurs established in Mexico. The selection parameters responded to the availability of the participants; the data were reviewed through an iterative analysis based on constant observations, thus guaranteeing methodological integrity. Indeed, there are remarkable coincidences between the results and the literature review. It was identified that Venezuelan migrants have ventures by opportunity, which are successful in the Mexican context, providing them with multiple opportunities to develop their competencies and even overcome difficulties.

Measuring Anxiety Among Latino Immigrant Populations: Within-Country and Between-Country Comparisons.

Anxiety is the most prevalent mental health disorder among adults worldwide. Given its increased prevalence among migrants due to their marginalized position in the societies where they reside, psychometric evaluations of anxiety measures such as the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) are needed for use with migrants. The present study is the first attempt to compare the structure of GAD-7 scores for (a) different Latino groups in the same country and (b) the same Latino group in two different countries. Using three samples of Mexican and Venezuelan migrants (total N = 933), we provide reliability and validity evidence of the GAD-7 for use with adult Latino migrants. Utilizing confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory, we demonstrate that the GAD-7 is internally consistent, possesses a strong single-factor structure, and generates scores with equivalent psychometric properties. GAD-7 is appropriate for use with Mexican and Venezuelan migrants across differing gender groups and education levels.

“Sentir su camino”: (Im)mobilities in the return of Venezuelan migrant women during the pandemic in Ecuador

The pandemic exacerbated the already inequitable conditions to which Venezuelan migrants are exposed in Latin America. Influenced by global policies of public health control, the Ecuadorian government imposed numerous constraints on internal and external mobilities to reinforce its restrictive shift of at least the past decade, thereby limiting migrant regularization and curtailing the guarantee of the right to seek refuge. In line with Hyndman and Giles’ concepts of the embodied feminist geopolitics of waiting and (im)mobilities this article examines how, in the context of restrictive state policies, social hostility and nationalism, heightened by a public health discourse emphasizing the threat of contagion embodied in migrants and a new border regime scenario, Venezuelan migrant women have deployed multiple strategies of self-care to preserve their lives. Such strategies including reverse migration to their home country, even when it meant returning to places that are even more precarious but perhaps safer for them. It also explores how Ecuador’s institutional responses to the pandemic affected Venezuelan migrants and their action capacity.

Short-run Labor Market Integration of Venezuelan Immigrants to Peru

We study the negative wage premium Venezuelan immigrants face in the Peruvian labor market, the second largest receiving country of Venezuelan migrants. Consistent with an imperfect transfer of skills, we find that the higher the education level, the larger the negative wage premium. Also, as in south-to-north migration processes, foreign work experience has a negligible value in the host country. We find evidence that immigrants with a valid work permit tend to earn more per week than immigrants who do not. Though our analysis focuses on Venezuelans’ short-run assimilation, we find initial evidence that the longer the immigrants stay, the smaller the negative premium to their education.

Gradations of Migrant Legality: The Impact of States’ Legal Structures and Bureaucracies on Immigrant Legalization and Livelihoods

Immigrant legalization scholarship assumes that immigrants with “non-tenuous” legal statuses—with ostensible pathways to citizenship—smoothly transition into enduring legality. However, under-studied features of the legal structure and bureaucracy likely disrupt their legalization. Thus, the present article introduces the concept of “gradations of migrant legality” to examine how multilayered, embedded interactions between the state's immigration regime, the structure of legalization opportunities, and the permeability of application procedural standards impact immigrants’ legalization transitions. The study draws on in-depth interviews to compare Venezuelan migrants’ “non-tenuous” legalization process in Argentina and Chile. Whereas Argentina has an inclusionary immigration regime, legalization opportunity structure, and procedural standards, Chile has an exclusionary one. Despite these contrasting trends, both countries have had some inclusionary and exclusionary executive administrative measures. Findings show smooth transitions were possible in both countries when procedural standards were predictable and state bureaucrats eased obstructive requirements. However, disruptive transitions occurred when digitalization changed procedural standards, visa categories required self-sufficiency, and administrative actions imposed cumbersome requirements. Disruptive transitions were more prevalent and harmful to immigrants in Chile because most visa categories (under the law and administrative actions) required formal employment. In contrast, disruptive transitions were less prevalent and harmful to Venezuelan migrants in Argentina because they could access the Mercosur Residency Agreement, which protected their livelihood by not requiring proof of economic solvency. Broadly, the “gradations of migrant legality” framework shows that different organizational levels interact and have compounding, unequal effects on immigrants, including those with visa categories that provide seemingly straightforward pathways to citizenship.

Quality of life of Venezuelan migrants in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The economic, social, and health crisis in Venezuela has resulted in the largest forced migration in recent Latin American history. The general scenario in host countries influence migrants' self-perception of quality of life, which can be understood as an indicator of their level of integration. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated socioeconomic and health vulnerabilities, especially for forced migrants. We hypothesized that the adverse circumstances faced by Venezuelan migrants during the pandemic have deepened their vulnerability, which may have influenced their perception of quality of life. This study aims to evaluate the quality of life of Venezuelan migrants in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. We assessed the quality of life of 312 adult Venezuelan migrants living in Brazil using the World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment, which was self-administered online from October 20, 2020, to May 10, 2021. The associations of quality of life and its domains with participants' characteristics were analyzed via multiple linear regression models. Mean quality of life score was 44.7 (±21.8) on a scale of 0 to 100. The best recorded mean was in the physical domain (66.2±17.8) and the worst in the environmental domain (51.1±14.6). The worst quality of life was associated with being a woman, not living with a partner, lower household income, and discrimination based on nationality. Factors associated with overall quality of life and respective domains, especially income and discrimination, were also observed in other studies as obstacles to Venezuelan migrants. The unsatisfactory quality of life among Venezuelans living in Brazil may have been worsened by the pandemic during the study period.

Venezuelan migrants and the right to health: perceptions of nursing technicians at a general hospital

Venezuelan migrants and the right to health: perceptions of nursing technicians at a general hospital

“I live here, I work here, but my mind is there”: transnational families, networks and care among Venezuelan migrants.

Resumo Famílias venezuelanas atravessadas pela migração são impactadas pelas condições de saúde daqueles que ficaram em seu país. Nesse contexto, famílias transnacionais produzem redes que atuam à distância e auxiliam o acesso de familiares a medicamentos ou atendimentos em saúde. A partir de uma pesquisa etnográfica realizada em São Paulo, o presente artigo tem por objetivo abordar o fenômeno de circulação do cuidado em redes de famílias transnacionais. Descreve as condições particulares da migração venezuelana, os arranjos que migrantes realizam e aspectos de reciprocidade. Por fim, os impactos causados pelo fechamento de fronteiras para a contenção da Covid-19 são elencados como forma de refletir sobre as necessidades de famílias transnacionais no acesso a meios que garantam e facilitem o cuidado à distância seguro e eficaz.

A Rapid Ethnography to Inform a Biobehavioural HIV Preventions Study Among Venezuelan Migrant Sex Workers in Peru: A Protocol of Formative Multidisciplinary Methods

The Venezuelan refugee crisis has triggered Latin America’s largest mass migration, displacing over a fifth of the country’s population. A significant number of migrants have sought refuge in neighboring countries like Peru. Within this context, Venezuelan migrants confront an array of vulnerabilities, including xenophobia and economic hardship, which have compelled some to sex work for their livelihoods. Venezuelan sex workers (VSWs) in Peru face amplified challenges, including heightened risks for HIV and sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) and exposure to various forms of violence. Addressing the urgent need to comprehend and enhance HIV and STBBI preventive services tailored to this marginalized group in Peru’s capital is paramount. Our biobehavioural HIV prevention study combines sequential mixed methods: we start with a rapid ethnography, followed by semi-structured interviews and finally incorporate cross-sectional surveys with HIV and STBBI testing. The present study protocol presents the integrated and initial rapid ethnographic component of the study which explores the dynamics of street-based sex work in Lima and the sociocultural narratives surrounding VSWs. Data collection will involve systematic fieldnote taking including non-person photos during in-person and virtual participant observation. This comprehensive approach will provide a nuanced understanding of the complex landscape of sex work and HIV/STBBI vulnerabilities among VSWs in Lima. The rapid ethnography endeavors to offer valuable insights that can underpin evidence-based healthcare interventions, specifically tailored to cater to the unique requirements of this marginalized population.

“Everything came out of my vagina!”: Venezuelan migration and sex work in a singular case

Resumen: El objetivo de este artículo es analizar el caso particular de una trabajadora sexual migrante venezolana. Para ello, en primer lugar, se aborda el fenómeno de la feminización de las migraciones y, al interior de este fenómeno, el funcionamiento del mercado sexual transnacional. En segundo lugar, siguiendo el hilo de una entrevista semiestructurada en profundidad y varias interacciones posteriores, bajo la estructura del diálogo, se abordan algunas de las principales características de la migración venezolana, así como las lógicas del mercado sexual y el funcionamiento de las redes de trata y sujeción con base en la deuda y el cuidado. La investigación se sustenta metodológicamente en la perspectiva de la sociología de las migraciones, al considerar la unidad biográfica del migrante en un campo social transnacional en los que se articulan estructuras, agencias, poderes y resistencias.

Using Fusion Data Analysis and Compensatory Fuzzy Logic to Analyze the Socioeconomic Impact of Venezuelan Migration

The surge of Venezuelan migration has left indelible marks on various regions, notably within Babahoyo Canton, presenting both challenges and opportunities for local communities. This study delves into the socio-economic impacts of Venezuelan migration on Babahoyo throughout 2023, employing a sophisticated blend of compensatory fuzzy logic and information fusion techniques. These methodologies offer a nuanced exploration of the migration's effects, capturing the complex interplay between local perceptions, labor market fluctuations, and broader economic dynamics. The findings underscore the critical need for comprehensive integration strategies that not only facilitate the socio-cultural adaptation of migrants but also leverage local public policies to mitigate adverse impacts while maximizing potential benefits. Ultimately, this research aims to illuminate pathways for informed decision-making and policy development, ensuring that responses to Venezuelan migration in Babahoyo are both effective and empathetic, thus fostering a more integrated and resilient community.

The Chilean Dream: the case of Jesus, an unaccompanied young migrant. An ethnographic note

The migration of unaccompanied children and adolescents from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Venezuela to countries such as the United States, Mexico and Chile has raised concerns due to the unique challenges they face. These adolescents are seeking opportunities for education, work and family reunification, fleeing adverse contexts in their places of origin. The political crisis in Venezuela has increased the emigration of unaccompanied adolescents to countries such as Colombia, Chile and the United States. Research has examined the factors that influence migration decisions, mental health challenges and coping strategies of these young people. The vulnerability of these children is exacerbated by the lack of legal frameworks and essential services. The case of Jesús, a young Venezuelan migrant, illustrates the difficulties faced by Unaccompanied Foreign Minors (UFMs) on their journey. Improving child protection mechanisms, ensuring access to education and health care, and creating a supportive environment are crucial steps to ensure the well-being of this vulnerable population. International cooperation, improved policies and sustainable solutions are essential to protect the rights and dignity of all migrant children.

Espacialidade e controle dos corpos: Boa Vista e a mobilidade humana venezuelana

Abstract This article discusses the socio-spatial transformations undergone by the city of Boa Vista after the significant arrival of Venezuelan migrants from 2015 onwards. We use the documentary methodology to present the increase in the number of Venezuelans in the city, and the bibliographic methodology to reflect on the policies of control of these bodies by the "welcoming" State. In addition, we employ the dialectical hermeneutic method to discuss power relations based on Bauman’s and Foucault’s theories. Using Henri Lefebvre’s perspective, we present the urban space as a place where daily social relations function and we question spatial changes. The aim is to demonstrate that the State determines the level of interaction between residents, reinforcing the systemic prejudice/xenophobic practice based on the control of "unwelcome" bodies.

Co-production for the integration of migrant human capital into the decent work

During the last few years, the mass exodus of Venezuelan citizens to other countries has turned Venezuela into an emigration country, with Peru receiving the second-highest number of migrants. This article explains the co-production process of integrating Venezuelan migrants and refugees into the host society under decent work conditions. This is a qualitative, cross-sectional explanatory case study covering the second half of 2022. It shows that within the co-production effort, civil society organisations entail a role in creating collective mechanisms and spaces to enable communication and information, helping to identify existing problems and vulnerabilities, and finding alternatives to mitigate them. Additionally, in the process of integrating migrants’ human capital under the decent work condition there is the relevance of migrant-based civil society organisations, due to the fact that they can enhance trust and the quality of the interaction and dialogue with the beneficiary public, identify their specific needs and potential solutions and, therefore, increase the quality and efficiency of the services provided.