Montevideo is home to more than half of Uruguay’s foreign-born population, including a growing number of people from Venezuela, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. As a capital city and economic hub, Montevideo offers newcomers attractive employment opportunities, educational institutions, and a strong ecosystem of public services.
Despite these opportunities, migrants and refugees in Montevideo continue to face significant barriers to socioeconomic inclusion. For example, difficulties with recognition of foreign professional qualifications and high financial thresholds for renting apartments often push migrants toward informal employment and precarious housing. At the same time, Uruguay is experiencing significant demographic aging, making it increasingly difficult to meet demand for workers in key sectors such as caregiving, logistics, tourism, industry, technology, and healthcare.
These challenges present an opportunity to create dignified pathways to employment for migrants while supporting the city’s economic development.
