Santiago – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Government of Chile organized an inclusive job fair yesterday (26/09) in Santiago, for the socio-economic integration of migrants and host community members, with a strong participation of Venezuelan nationals.  

The Regional Ministerial Secretary of Labour and Social Security, the National Training and Employment Service (SENCE) and the Commission of the National Certification System of Labour Competencies (ChileValora) co-organized the job fair in downtown Santiago.  

IOM Chile Chief of Mission a.i., Matteo Mandrile, the Regional Secretary of Labour, Denise Madrid, the Regional Mayor, Karla Rubilar, and the Provincial Delegate, Enrique Beltrán, inaugurated the event. 

Over 5,000 visitors attended the fair, with a majority of them, Venezuelan nationals. Over 1,500 jobs were offered by 47 local and international companies, in a wide range of sectors and with different profiles, from engineers and accountants to security guards, shop assistants, receptionists and technicians.  

During the fair, IOM and public services carried out informative sessions with participants on labour law and regulations, debunking myths about the hiring process of migrants in Chile. Participants were also helped to review and prepare their resumes, with the opportunity to print them free of charge during the day.  

Mandrile explained: “IOM fosters the synergies between labour migration and development, while promoting legal avenues of labour migration as an alternative to irregular migration. Successful socio-economic integration is beneficial not only for Venezuelans, who today represent the largest foreign-born group in Chile, but also for those communities hosting them.” He added: “Today’s participation of job seekers of different nationalities and Chilean people is a beautiful image of local integration in Santiago.” 

“It is very important for the Government of Chile, in alliance with the private sector and an organization like IOM, to bring these job offers to Paseo Bulnes. It has been a success and we hope to replicate this experience in the medium or long term in the region,” said Madrid. 

“I arrived in Chile 16 months ago. I have a job as a general surgeon but found this fair an interesting opportunity to discover a new workplace. The dynamic of delivering a description of each company offer was very well accepted and highly informative,” said Jesús Marín, a Venezuelan who attended the fair.   

In Chile, according to data made available in July 2019 by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and the Immigration Department (DEM), the Santiago Metropolitan Region, consisting of 46 municipalities, accounts for 63.1 per cent (789,412) of the total migrant population, mainly Venezuelans (26.8 per cent), followed by Peruvians (21.4 per cent), Haitians (13.9 per cent) and Colombians (10.6 per cent). 

According to estimates of the Immigration Department (DEM), in the first months of 2019, Chile’s migrant population increased by 9.7 per cent, with an increase of 28.8 per cent in the case of Venezuelans. This figure amounted to 371,163 as of 1 June 2019.  

IOM's actions in Chile related to the private sector have led to the strengthening of strategic alliances and partnerships in various sectors of the Chilean economy. In this framework of activities, job fairs play a key role and are a true multiplier of opportunities, for both employers and job seekers.  

The fair was funded by the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration of the United States Department of State. 

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For more information please contact José Estay, IOM Chile, Tel: + (56) 2 2963 3710, Email: jestay@iom.int