More than 3 million 500 thousand Peruvians live abroad

On the occasion of the International Migrants Day that is celebrated this December 18, and according to the information provided by the National Superintendence of Migration, the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) informed that as of June 30 of 2024, 3 million 505 thousand 511 Peruvians would be living abroad, figure that represent the 10.3% of the total population of Peru as of 2024 (34 million 038 thousand 457). According to sex, 51.8% (1 million 815 thousand 302) are women and 48.2% men (1 million 690 thousand 209).

According to age groups, from the Peruvians that migrated other countries, 68.9% are between 15 to 49 years old. Meanwhile, the migrating population under 15 years old represented 12.4%, those between 50 to 59 represented 10.4% and the older adults of 60 years old and older represented 8.3%.

According to the residence country, the majority of migrant Peruvians are living in the United States and represented the 30.4%, followed by Spain with 16.1%, Argentina 12.9%, Chile 11.6%, Italia 10.3%, Japan 3.6% and Canada 1.9%, countries that in total concentrated the 86.7% of migrant Peruvians. The rest of countries reaches 13.2% of the compatriots that are living in other nations.

According to the results of the II Global Survey to the Peruvian Community Abroad, 2022, 38.2% of Peruvians that are abroad have permanent residence and 27.0% have the citizenship of the residence country. Meanwhile, 18.4 % have valid visa from which, 7.5% have a working visa, 5.1% have tourist visa, 2.7% have student visa, 0.2% humanitarian visa and 2.9% other type of valid visa (diplomatic, Mercosur, among others). On the other hand, the compatriots that stated they have expired visa or that they had exceeded their permanence represented the 16,4%.

According to the results of the II Global Survey to the Peruvian Community Abroad, 2022, 61.6% of Peruvians residing abroad stated they have children. According to sex, 53.6% are composed of men and 46.4% are women. Likewise, from the total of children of Peruvians abroad, 57.6% were born in Peruvian territory and 42.4% in other country; and 43.5% of children born abroad are registered in the Peruvian consulate and 56.5% were not been registered.

According to the occupation category, 71.8% of resident Peruvians abroad work as employees or workers, 22.4% work as independent employer or worker (as their own), 5.2% work as domestic workers and 0.6% work as unpaid family worker.

During the period 2010 - 2024 and according to the information provided by the National Superintendence of Migrations, a total of 230 thousand 863 Peruvians returned to the country and had not exit abroad again. According to sex, from the total of compatriots that returned to the country, 50.9% were men (117 thousand 458) and 49.1% were women (113 thousand 405).

According to five-year age groups, 12.3% were from 20 to 24 years old, and 12.1% were from 25 to 29 years old. Likewise, it can be observed that 64.8% of them are between 15 to 49 years old and 9.6% were more than 64 years old; meanwhile, 9.0% were under 15 years of age.

By civil state, 73.5% of the Peruvian population that are returning to the country of 14 years of age and older, stated they were single, 16.8% were married, meanwhile the widows and divorced represented 2.4%. And, a total of 7.3% did not register their civil state.

According to the country of provenance of Peruvians that returned during the period of 20190-2024, 35.1% reached Chile, followed by Spain with 13.4%, United States with 8.9%, Argentina 7.9%, Bolivia 6.3%, Ecuador 5.0%, Venezuela 3.6%, Mexico 3.5% and Brazil with 2.9%, among the main countries that concentrate the 86.6% of the returns.

According to the figures of the Central Bank of Reserve of Peru, the remittances from abroad reached US$4,446 million of dollars in 2023, a figure that increased in 19.9% compared to 2022. As of the third quarter of 2024, the remittances reached US$3,665 million of dollars, registering a growth of 7.0% compared to the same quarter of 2023, keeping nine quarters of consecutive growth.

In 2023, the remittances were sent mainly from United States with 48.1%, followed by Spain with 12.4%, Chile 9.2%, Italia 7.8%, Japan 4.3%, Argentina 1.3%, and the rest of countries 16.8%.

It is worth to mention that the main shipping method of remittances were through Money Remittance Businesses with 53.9%, followed by the banks with 42.1% and informal media with the 4.0%.

According to the information provided by the National Superintendence of Migration, from the year 2020 to the month of November of 2024 they had been issued 3 million 372 thousand 952 passports to Peruvians that are wishing to leave the country.

In 2023 there were issued 954 thousand 818 passports, a higher figure in 37.3% compared to 2022. Meanwhile, as of November of the current year it had been issued 792 thousand 214 passports.

According to sex of Peruvians that request the Passport, 53.5% are women and 46.5% are men. By age it was observed that 52.3% of Peruvians whom they were given the Passport are between 20 and 49 years of age, 12.5% were 50 to 59 years old, 11.3% were 10 to 19 years old, older than 60 years of age 16.6% and younger than 10 years old 7.3%.