Lima is good enough: exploring role of city in coping strategies and future planning among Venezuelan forced migrants in Peru

Abstract The economic, political and social situation in Venezuela has forced millions of its citizens to leave their country (Mazuera-Arias et al., Sociodemographic Profiles and the Causesof Regular Venezuelan Emigration. International Migration, https://doi.org/10.1111/IMIG.12693 (2020)). Over the...

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Main Authors: Karolina Sobczak-Szelc, Marcin Stonawski, Katarzyna Górska, Agnieszka Olter-Castillo, Jan Brzozowski, Silvana Gomez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-06-01
Series:Comparative Migration Studies
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40878-025-00451-1
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author Karolina Sobczak-Szelc
Marcin Stonawski
Katarzyna Górska
Agnieszka Olter-Castillo
Jan Brzozowski
Silvana Gomez
author_facet Karolina Sobczak-Szelc
Marcin Stonawski
Katarzyna Górska
Agnieszka Olter-Castillo
Jan Brzozowski
Silvana Gomez
author_sort Karolina Sobczak-Szelc
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The economic, political and social situation in Venezuela has forced millions of its citizens to leave their country (Mazuera-Arias et al., Sociodemographic Profiles and the Causesof Regular Venezuelan Emigration. International Migration, https://doi.org/10.1111/IMIG.12693 (2020)). Over the past eight years, we have witnessed an unprecedented exodus of this nature. In June 2024, there were 7.7 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees worldwide, of which 1.5 million have settled in Peru. Lima, the city hosting the majority of Venezuelans in Peru (R4V 2022), seems to be the final destination on their migration trajectory. Despite challenges and barriers related to the complex legal status landscape, the city fulfils aspirations and needs that drove Venezuelans to leave their country. Most importantly, Lima allows them to fulfil economic needs that are sufficient to survive and support those left behind. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the principal challenges confronted by forced migrants from Venezuela on the labor market of Lima (Peru), the adaptation and coping strategies they employ to overcome them and how this situation influences their decisions on further (im)mobility. The results are based on a mixed-method approach with the use of quantitative and qualitative research methods. The quantitative methods employed include questionnaire interviews with Venezuelans in Lima and their Peruvian neighbors, while the qualitative methods comprise in-depth interviews with Venezuelans in Lima, their Peruvian neighbors, and experts in Peru, as well as observation during study visits to the research area.
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spelling doaj-art-db936c98162c4d9a8cc2c6db936db7442025-08-20T02:39:43ZengSpringerOpenComparative Migration Studies2214-594X2025-06-0113112110.1186/s40878-025-00451-1Lima is good enough: exploring role of city in coping strategies and future planning among Venezuelan forced migrants in PeruKarolina Sobczak-Szelc0Marcin Stonawski1Katarzyna Górska2Agnieszka Olter-Castillo3Jan Brzozowski4Silvana Gomez5Centre of Migration Research, University of WarsawCenter for Advanced Studies of Population and Religion (CASPAR), Krakow University of EconomicsFaculty of International and Political Studies, Institute of American Studies and Polish Diaspora, Jagiellonian UniversityCenter for Advanced Studies of Population and Religion (CASPAR), Krakow University of EconomicsInstitute of European Studies, Jagiellonian UniversityCenter for Advanced Studies of Population and Religion (CASPAR), Krakow University of EconomicsAbstract The economic, political and social situation in Venezuela has forced millions of its citizens to leave their country (Mazuera-Arias et al., Sociodemographic Profiles and the Causesof Regular Venezuelan Emigration. International Migration, https://doi.org/10.1111/IMIG.12693 (2020)). Over the past eight years, we have witnessed an unprecedented exodus of this nature. In June 2024, there were 7.7 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees worldwide, of which 1.5 million have settled in Peru. Lima, the city hosting the majority of Venezuelans in Peru (R4V 2022), seems to be the final destination on their migration trajectory. Despite challenges and barriers related to the complex legal status landscape, the city fulfils aspirations and needs that drove Venezuelans to leave their country. Most importantly, Lima allows them to fulfil economic needs that are sufficient to survive and support those left behind. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the principal challenges confronted by forced migrants from Venezuela on the labor market of Lima (Peru), the adaptation and coping strategies they employ to overcome them and how this situation influences their decisions on further (im)mobility. The results are based on a mixed-method approach with the use of quantitative and qualitative research methods. The quantitative methods employed include questionnaire interviews with Venezuelans in Lima and their Peruvian neighbors, while the qualitative methods comprise in-depth interviews with Venezuelans in Lima, their Peruvian neighbors, and experts in Peru, as well as observation during study visits to the research area.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40878-025-00451-1Venezuelan migrationForced migrantsCoping and adaptation strategiesEconomic integrationInformal employmentMigration aspirations
spellingShingle Karolina Sobczak-Szelc
Marcin Stonawski
Katarzyna Górska
Agnieszka Olter-Castillo
Jan Brzozowski
Silvana Gomez
Lima is good enough: exploring role of city in coping strategies and future planning among Venezuelan forced migrants in Peru
Comparative Migration Studies
Venezuelan migration
Forced migrants
Coping and adaptation strategies
Economic integration
Informal employment
Migration aspirations
title Lima is good enough: exploring role of city in coping strategies and future planning among Venezuelan forced migrants in Peru
title_full Lima is good enough: exploring role of city in coping strategies and future planning among Venezuelan forced migrants in Peru
title_fullStr Lima is good enough: exploring role of city in coping strategies and future planning among Venezuelan forced migrants in Peru
title_full_unstemmed Lima is good enough: exploring role of city in coping strategies and future planning among Venezuelan forced migrants in Peru
title_short Lima is good enough: exploring role of city in coping strategies and future planning among Venezuelan forced migrants in Peru
title_sort lima is good enough exploring role of city in coping strategies and future planning among venezuelan forced migrants in peru
topic Venezuelan migration
Forced migrants
Coping and adaptation strategies
Economic integration
Informal employment
Migration aspirations
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40878-025-00451-1
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