Venezuelans relieved by PM's assurance, want driver's licences, registration expanded

Venezuelan migrants line up to register with the government in a mass registration exercise in 2019 at the Queen's Park Oval, St Clair. FILE PHOTO -

VENEZUELAN migrants have expressed a sigh of relief after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar assured that her government will not engage in mass deportation, at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's, on August 14.

She said the government is about to announce an orderly and fair plan for Venezuelan migrants.

In an immediate response, hundreds of messages were posted on social media by Venezuelans living in TT – most of them were positive and hopeful.

"Listening to migrants is the first step. We value that Kamla offers calm in her statements. We contribute and work with responsibility," said María Fernanda Robles, who has been in TT for almost a decade.

For Venezuelans, the priorities regarding the new government's possible policies are clear: education for children; to work with dignity; healthcare; and regularisation for those who were left out of the 2019 registry.

Robles said thousands of children are out of the classroom. She said the waiting list to enter some schools extend for years and there are limited temporary programmes.

She said, "My daughter is 12 years old. She arrived in TT with me in 2016 when she was still a baby. She learned at home, but she needs teachers and a decent education. We know the PM supports children's education and our children have the universal right to study.”

Chaguanas resident Marina del Valle said, “Integration begins at school. Without education, there is no future for them or for the country. It is necessary for the thousands of children and adolescents who are not studying to receive training, receive an education, and in the future, they, along with local children, can contribute to the growth of this beautiful country.”

José Alejandro Perez, who lives in Arima, said if there is a plan for Venezuelan migrants, there can be a bridge between the communities.

“If Kamla opens the door for us, we come prepared to walk together for TT. We believe and trust she knows she can help us and we can support this country.”

Access to driver's licences, he said, is necessary.

“A licence isn't a luxury. It's the difference between working legally or depending on public transportation for a lifetime. Kamla can open that door for us so we can continue to progress in this country. There are many jobs available as drivers, and that could continue to create vacancies,” says Perez, a refrigerator technician.

In 2019, the government opened a registry through an amnesty. At that time, 16,523 Venezuelans received temporary permits. The permit was supposed to last one year, but starting in 2020, those permits have been extended annually. The Immigration Division is still submitting the update, which expires on December 31.

In 2023, Venezuelans with work permits participated in a re-registration, and to this day, it is unknown exactly how many Venezuelans registered with the government are still here.

Furthermore, thousands were left out of the 2019 amnesty, which raises the unconfirmed figures.

The community proposes a plan for a new registry to include those without work permits and bring some socio-economic stability.

“With documents, we can clearly pay taxes, rent formally, and contribute without fear. It's also a way to help the government control insecurity and continue organising the functioning of TT," says Luis Enrique Colon, a Venezuelan fisherman in Cedros.

The closure of the UNHCR office on August 31, 2025, increases concern. Without international support, many families will be left without legal or humanitarian assistance. Community leaders have called for the government to fill that void.