Chile - IOM Chile is working with the Ministry for the Economy, Development, and Tourism, the National Institute of Statistics (INE), local governments and civil society organizations to encourage migrants in the country to participate in the 2017 census taking place on 19 April. The census is being carried out to overcome and correct methodological problems in the 2012 census.

Chile has made progress in the past few years in designing public policies that meet migrants’ needs, especially in relation to health, housing and education. Continuing to do so requires up-to-date information, which is why emphasis has been placed on developing strategies to ensure migrants’ participation in the census.

These strategies have centered on publicizing the characteristics and importance of a census, emphasizing that migrants can participate by opening their doors and as interviewers, and that they will not be asked about their migration situation.

The INE has composed the census questionnaires in five languages to facilitate registration in areas with the highest concentration of foreign residents, including Creole for Haitian migrants.

IOM Chile’s Silvia Olego explained that “this census is a good public policy practice and ensures that we all count and that no one is left behind, as the Agenda 2030 indicates.”

The Government of Chile estimates that the migrant population will reach 600,000 in the 2017 census.  In 2014, there were an estimated 411,000 regular migrants.

For further information please contact Valeria Beltran at IOM Chile, Tel. +56 02 9633710, Email: vbeltran@iom.int