Infographic: DTM Survey Of Refugees And Migrants Living In Colombia (April 2020)

Since 2015, there has been a constant migratory flow from Venezuela to Colombia. This arrival of thousands of Venezuelans to Colombia is the result of involuntary migration due to the economic and political situation in their home country, which has become increasingly untenable over the last two years. The migrant profile has diversified and remaining in Colombia emerges as an option for subsistence given the fact that there is no end in sight in terms of the possibilities for short term socioeconomic stabilization in their country of origin. Plans to remain in Colombia not only have a statistical impact, but also a social and economic one. It is thus important to understand and make visible these impacts through an analysis that supports a rights-based approach to addressing them.

According to Colombia Migration calculations, within the national territory a little more than 1,771,237 Venezuelans remain, of whom 754,085 have obtained regular migratory status, while 1,017,152 find themselves in an irregular migratory situation. Likewise, Colombia Migration reports the issuance of 568,849 special residence permits (PEP) effective January 26, 2020.

It is within this context that IOM Colombia launched the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) in keeping with its mission to promote safe, orderly, and regular migration that is grounded in respect for the rights of migrants. The DTM was used to develop an assessment profile of Venezuelan migrants entering Colombia in November 2019 with an intention to remain. This tool allows a variety of interested actors to have a better understanding of the life conditions of Venezuelans who plan to stay in Colombia, so that they may better plan effective responses according to their specific needs.