Chile

Most immigrants to Chile come from other South American nations drawn by economic stability and a shared language. Geographic proximity historically made neighboring countries like Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia the most natural origins for those seeking better opportunities. Today, well over a million people from across the region live in Chile because of its strong economy.

In the early 1990s, migration was relatively small and mostly limited to border-crossers and Europeans with colonial ties. This demographic landscape shifted dramatically over the last decade as severe political and economic crises devastated other parts of Latin America. Consequently, hundreds of thousands of people from Venezuela, Haiti, and Colombia recently made the long journey south to flee regional instability.

Geographic proximity historically made neighboring Argentina the most natural destination for Chileans moving abroad. Today, hundreds of thousands of emigrants also look further afield, drawn to Spain by a shared language and to Australia or Canada for high-skilled career opportunities. Northern European nations like Sweden also remain home to large Chilean communities originally established by those seeking political asylum decades ago.

In the early 1990s, the vast majority of emigrants stayed within South America to live in Argentina or a then-prosperous Venezuela. This dynamic shifted significantly as severe economic and political crises destabilized those traditional regional destinations over the last two decades. Consequently, modern emigrants increasingly bypass their neighbors to seek long-term stability in Europe or growing economies like Mexico.