El Salvador has taken an important step to curb irregular and illegal migration, promoting and managing legal labor migration to countries like the United States (USA) and Canada, where various companies hire Salvadoran labor.
This was stated by Carlos Hernández, representative of El Salvador in the Central American Parliament (Parlacen), at the III International Forum on Migration Statistics, organized by the Economic Commission for Latin America (Cepal).
«We were the most violent country in the world, and that forced many Salvadorans to migrate illegally to the United States,» recalled the parliamentarian.
Hernández explained that, as of 2019, with the change of government and the arrival of President Nayib Bukele as head of the Executive, he opted for a frontal combat against criminal groups and thus brought peace and tranquility to the Salvadoran population.
Simultaneously, the Labor and Foreign Relations portfolios managed sources of employment in the US and Canada, where more than 3,622 Salvadorans have already traveled in different contingents legally.
«With these actions, we are regulating illegal migration. I want to remember when our people had to leave our borders because we couldn’t find opportunities in our country,» added the deputy.
The Labor Migration Program has helped compatriots to migrate legally, mainly to the US and Canada, and based on their performance, they can be rehired in the companies where they worked.
Nearly 70 people traveled the previous Monday to Quebec, Canada, to work in agriculture and livestock for two years. It was the first contingent of the year.
Forced migration in cases of risk due to threats was also stopped as part of the fight against gangs.
According to Hernández, Parlacen will work to help curb irregular migration in Central American territory.
«We will promote the harmonization of laws with the different forums or organizations at the international level that benefit the human and labor rights of migrants, from the Regional Parliamentary Council on Migration [Coparem], of which Parlacen is a member,» he emphasized, noting that he chairs the foreign relations and migration commission of the regional entity.