El Salvador’s labor migration program has enabled more than 11,000 Salvadorans to travel to the United States and Canada for temporary employment, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MTPS).

Labor Minister Rolando Castro highlighted that the program initially started with the United States in 2019. However, it gained significant momentum after the COVID-19 pandemic and, since 2021, has been managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United States.

“Between Canada and the United States, no fewer than 11,000 people have benefited from this program. We are talking about the first group we sent to the United States and those who have gone to Canada,” Castro stated.

Canada was added to the program in 2021, and in December 2023, Costa Rica also joined as a migration partner. In February 2024, Castro confirmed that between 6,000 and 7,000 workers had been sent specifically to the United States, meaning that the remaining 4,000 to 5,000 beneficiaries traveled to Canada.

The labor minister emphasized that the initiative has fostered development in El Salvador and improved the lives of those who traveled to Canada under the program. He also denied that USAID provided financial support to launch the initiative, stating that the ministry operates “with the limited resources” available.

Looking ahead, the MTPS announced that the first group of workers will depart for Europe next week. Additionally, more European countries could be incorporated into the program during the first half of this year.