A research study conducted by the USAID/World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) Economic Inclusion Project (EIP) shows nearly 40% of Venezuelan refugees and migrants who arrived in Ecuador with professional certifications are still unemployed, with just 19% successfully revalidating those certifications in their new host country.

Those were just a few of the results presented from the "Labor Inclusion Study for Venezuelan migrants and refugees in the cities of Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, Manta and Machala" during an August 17 EIP webinar.

Conducted within the framework of EIP, researchers used surveys, interviews and focus groups to reach 1,915 people in Ecuador, including Venezuelans over the age of 18 and private sector human resource managers, to determine the gaps that exist in the country’s labor market.

Of the Venezuelans who reported being unable to revalidate their professional certifications in Ecuador, 41% believe it is simply because of their nationality, while another 37% think it is because they do not have legal resident status.

"Let's take into account today's lessons to provide opportunities for the Venezuelan migrant and refugee population to improve their future, their autonomy and thus contribute to the country,” said Stephanie Chetraru, Director of the USAID Office of Democracy and General Development in Ecuador, who stressed the importance of economic inclusion efforts like those carried out by EIP.

Since 2020, EIP has successfully helped more than 2,000 Venezuelans receive support for revalidating their diplomas, or professional or technical degree certifications in Peru and Ecuador.

Still, EIP Chief of Party Oscar Guzmán said the research clearly shows the need for more advocacy at the public and political level, so that Venezuelan professionals in Ecuador can revalidate their titles, a process that has a tremendous impact on their socioeconomic integration. Guzman also said companies in Ecuador should start looking at the benefits of having a trained and experienced migrant workforce.

The study will also allow EIP leaders to better identify their key areas of focus, and for international organizations, as well as livelihood and financial partners to work more successfully on the employability of 500,000 Venezuelan migrants and refugees in Ecuador through political advocacy, the strengthening of self-employment and job skills, education and financial inclusion.

A full Spanish-language version of the study is available for download here.