Chile: immigration

What is the unemployment rate among foreigners in Chile?

The unemployment rate among foreign residents in Chile was 6.8% in June to August 2026, 1.3 percentage points lower than a year earlier, according to the National Statistics Institute's foreign population employment bulletin. Their labour force participation rate was 79.2%.

The fall happened because the foreign labour force shrank by 2.3%, more than the 0.9% fall in employed foreigners. The informality rate for employed foreigners was 30.8%. The bulletin comes from the National Employment Survey and is published monthly.

Official sources: foreign population employment bulletin

How many foreigners has Chile expelled in 2026?

Chile expelled 1,874 foreigners in 2026 up to 10 October, according to the National Migration Service, which reported that 56 people were deported on its tenth expulsion flight of the year.

Expulsions are ordered by administrative decision or by courts, and the service reports them as they are carried out. The count covers people removed from the country, not those with pending expulsion orders.

Official sources: National Migration Service

How many foreigners live in Chile?

The National Migration Service publishes, with the INE and other agencies, an annual estimate of foreign residents living in Chile at 31 December, by region, country of origin and for municipalities with more than 10,000 foreign residents, on its foreign resident estimates page. The latest download available on 15 October 2026 is the estimate for 2023.

The estimate counts people born abroad according to the 2017 census or without Chilean nationality according to administrative records, who usually live in Chile. The 2024 census, which counted 18,480,432 people, is the INE census source for new figures.

Official sources: foreign resident estimates page · INE census source

What share of Chile's population are immigrants?

7.8%: that is the share of people born abroad in Chile for 2024, according to the UN Population Division. It was 3.3% in 2015. It is 10th highest of 33 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 4.8%. World rank, highest first: 74th of 193.

How many people move to Chile each year?

According to the UN Population Division, net migration in Chile was 51,712 in 2025. The peak was 237,807 in 2018 and the low 14,289 in 2005. Latin America & Caribbean median: -967; Chile is 2nd highest of 33. World rank, highest first: 21st of 193.

How many refugees live in Chile?

The latest figure from UNHCR, for 2025, is 2,631. No year since 2005 has been higher. It is 11th highest of 28 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 1,306. World rank, highest first: 112th of 169.

How many refugees come from Chile?

UNHCR puts the number of refugees from the country living abroad in Chile at 5,358 in 2025. No year since 2005 has been higher. Latin America & Caribbean median: 710; Chile is 13th highest of 33. World rank, highest first: 76th of 189.

How big are remittances in Chile's economy?

According to the World Bank, personal remittances received in Chile was 0.0% of GDP in 2025. Since 2009 it has ranged from 0.0% of GDP (2021) to 0.0% of GDP (2024). Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 3.3% of GDP, and Chile placed 27th highest of 27. Of 127 countries with 2025 data, 124th highest.