Guatemala - IOM will interview over 3,000 families from 170 Guatemalan municipalities as part of a National Survey on Migration and Remittances 2016. The survey will profile Guatemalan migrants covering a broad range of issues, including the characteristics of the returned population, the size of remittances, how they are invested and their impact.

It will cover both urban and rural families in the municipalities with the highest levels of international migration and will require the active involvement of local authorities and the government, according to IOM Chief of Mission in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, Jorge Peraza Breedy.

"The information provided to us will allow Guatemala to have reliable data for decision-making and for the implementation of programs and initiatives that will benefit the migrants abroad and their families in the communities of origin,” he noted.

The interview structure was validated by IOM in coordination with government institutions involved in the project, academia and civil society organizations. The information provided will be treated as confidential and only be used for statistical purposes.

The results will contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of migration, will help migrants to make informed decisions and will help their relatives to optimize the investment of remittances.

Previous IOM studies on remittances contributed to Accounts System of the Bank of Guatemala (BANGUAT). They also identified a growing feminization of migration and showed how much families were investing in health and education. They also identified the migratory behaviour that occurs when there are natural disasters in the country and how much remittances help in times of crisis.

Two studies by IOM and UNICEF in 2009 and 2010 highlighted the problems of children impacted by international migration, especially irregular, unaccompanied minors. The studies also looked at experiences of children left behind without the protection of adults.

According to BANGUAT projections, by the end of 2016 remittances to Guatemala will total USD 7.39 billion – an increase of roughly 12 percent from 2015. Between 2010 and 2015 remittances increased by over 52 percent from USD 4.126 billion to USD 6,284 billion.

For further information please contact Melissa Vega at IOM Guatemala, Tel. +502 2414-7405, Email: mevega@iom.int