Census data shows sharp rise in regional migration to Guyana

Preliminary data from Guyana’s 2022 Census reveal a 384.4 percent increase in migration from neighbouring countries over the past decade, though officials caution the figures likely represent a significant undercount of the true migrant population living in the country.

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The preliminary report, presented at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, points to a major shift in migration patterns between 2012 and 2022. During that period, the total number of enumerated migrants from Venezuela, Brazil and Suriname rose from 3,193 to 15,467. Venezuela now leads this influx, having moved from the smallest source of regional migrants in 2012 to the largest in 2022.

According to the census, the number of Venezuelans living in Guyana increased by 1,452.64 percent over the decade and now accounts for 81.81 percent of all migrants from bordering nations. While the census recorded 12,654 Venezuelans, the report acknowledges that this figure differs sharply from other estimates. Government administrative records show that 19,709 Venezuelans were registered between 2018 and 2022, while the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration estimated the population to be as high as 40,545 by mid-2024.

The report attributes the “surging” Venezuelan population to ongoing socio-economic and political instability in Venezuela, which has driven large numbers of people to leave in search of relief from domestic hardships.

Statistical authorities also highlighted challenges in achieving an accurate count. The census does not include “no-contact” populations—individuals who could not be reached during the enumeration period—or undocumented migrants who may have avoided census takers. At the same time, officials noted that administrative records may overstate numbers because they do not account for migrants who may have died, returned home or passed through Guyana en route to other destinations.

Beyond Venezuela, migration from Guyana’s other neighbours also increased. Suriname remained the second-largest source of regional migrants, while Brazil, though the smallest group among the three, recorded a 23.83 percent increase in its population in Guyana since the 2012 census.

The report concludes that the current figures offer only a snapshot of a rapidly evolving migration landscape, and officials have called for further study to reconcile differences between census data and administrative records.