The newly released IOM Migration Profile for Bolivia reports that although historically Bolivia is a country of emigration, the Government has, in the past, put in place policies to lure international migrants to settle in uninhabited areas.

Between 1938 and 1941, some 10,000 - 15,000 Jews arrived in Bolivia from Europe.  After the 1952 revolution and agricultural reform, Mennonite and Japanese migrants arrived to settle in the country's mostly uninhabited eastern region. A recent census estimates that the immigrant population now stands at approximately 100,000 or 1.1 per cent of the country’s total population.

In recent years the country has seen an increase in the number of Peruvian migrants, specifically in the city of El Alto, in the Department of La Paz, where many of them are involved in informal activities related to the sale and conversion of used and imported cars.

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	Perfil Migratorio de Bolivia

The profile also points to structural factors which explain emigration from Bolivia. These include low levels of training, low salaries, lack of jobs, precarious employment conditions and incentives that attract young and relatively inexpensive workers to neighbouring countries, mainly to work in the textile industry.

An estimated 706,000 Bolivians reside outside the country (6.8 per cent of the total population).  Argentina is the main country of destination, followed by Spain and the United States.

Nowadays, migrant social networks connect communities of origin and destination and facilitate the migration of Bolivians.  These networks provide important information about employment opportunities in countries of destination, and contribute to the successful integration of newly arrived migrants. They provide support and information on housing and other aspects of day-to-day life in the new country.

The profile confirms that the financial crisis and tightening of immigration policies in destination countries, notably the European Union and the United States, has not led to a significant number of returns to Bolivia.

Between 2005 and 2011, IOM Assisted Voluntary Return programmes helped a total of 261 Bolivian migrants to return mainly from Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.  

But the report adds that these restrictions have diverted the flow of migrants to neighbouring countries such as Argentina and Brazil. This can be corroborated by the increase in the number of applications for residence permits by Bolivians in those countries. 

Remittances sent by Bolivian migrants to families left behind constitute some 5 per cent of the country’s GNP.  Although the volume of remittances has decreased in the past two years due to the current international crisis, in 2010 they stood at USD 937.2 million.

International migration is increasingly on the public agenda in Bolivia, as evidenced by speeches by the President and other government officials.  Presidential leadership in the international debate against the European Return Directive has been evident, as well as the active participation of civil society, which has taken the topic to the public at large.

The profile concludes that the country has not yet clearly defined an international migration policy, which results in poor inter-institutional coordination, a lack of clarity about roles and responsibilities, and challenges in providing an integrated system of reliable, official indicators. 

It recommends public debate and the development of a migration policy, including clear objectives to protect the human rights of migrants. It also calls for capacity building for officials expected to implement the policy.  And it recommends prioritizing regularization schemes for migrants residing in the country to avoid the exploitation and vulnerability associated with their lack of legal status. 

The migration profile is available online at: 
http://www.iom.int/jahia/webdav/shared/shared/mainsite/media/docs/reports/Perfil-Migratorio-de-Bolivia.pdf

For more information, please contact

Horacio Calle Loza
IOM Bolivia
Tel: +591-2-2369044
Email: iomlapaz@iom.int