The Ministry of Immigration, Governance and Labor, alongside the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has launched the National Stakeholder Consultation for Belize’s first Migration and Development Policy. As part of the initiative, a series of consultations is taking place across the country. On May 16th, a session was held in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, where residents shared valuable feedback and recommendations as the government works toward developing a new migration policy.
The session took place at the San Pedro Lions Den on Barrier Reef Drive. A handful of island residents attended the meeting, which began at 1PM. UNDP’s LAC Regional Human Mobility and Local Governance Specialist, Johanna Saenz, hosted the gathering, during which the floor was opened for participants to share experiences and suggestions to improve the country’s current immigration policies.
Many attendees spoke about challenges encountered during immigration processes. One of the major concerns raised was the lack of communication, which they said can delay processes and create unnecessary obstacles for applicants. Other suggestions included increasing staffing levels at certain immigration offices, particularly in San Pedro, where participants noted that current staffing levels are insufficient to manage the high volume of requests received daily and weekly.
Another member of the hosting team, Amilin Mendez, Inclusive Growth, Digitization, and Governance Team Lead at UNDP, explained that the consultations are intended to gather data on the realities migrant communities face to help develop a migration policy suited to the country’s existing needs. Mendez noted that several productive sectors in Belize depend heavily on migrant labor, particularly agriculture.
“They are also involved in other areas like construction, as in some areas of the country, people prefer other types of jobs, so we still need that co-existence for migrants in the country,” Mendez said.
She added that the consultations will also examine the brain drain issue, as many skilled Belizeans leave the country due to limited opportunities.
Mendez further explained that the process will analyze data from sources such as the Statistical Institute of Belize and the Ministry of Immigration to understand migration trends in the country better. “Data tells a story, and the consultations complement it. We are looking at what will be the best recommendations to develop this migration policy we want to work on,” Mendez said.
Additional consultations are scheduled for Belmopan City, Belize City, and Bella Vista Village in the Toledo District. The process is expected to result in a consolidated stakeholder report, evidence-based recommendations, and key inputs for the final draft policy, which will be presented to the Ministry in late July of this year.