Introduction

The flows of extra-continental foreign nationals who enter Central America, Panama, and Mexico both regularly and irregularly (all destined for the United States and Canada) have increased considerably in recent years.

In 2011, El Salvador reported the entry of 10,876 African and Asian citizens. The total for 2012 to date is 6,585.

In recent years, El Salvador has identified irregular migratory flows that enter the country in transit.

Introduction

The migratory flows identified are comprised of economic migrants, refugees, and other categories of persons (such as victims of trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling).

Countries of origin of the migrants interviewed: Eritrea, Nepal, Bangladesh, Somalia, Nigeria, Algeria, China, Ghana, and Sri Lanka, among others.

Migratory Flow of Citizens of African Countries

January–December 2011

* Note of Interest: The category ‘Other Countries” includes 33 different nations, thus giving a total of 45 nationalities.

Country Entry Exit TotalGabon 152 153 305South Africa 108 98 206Guam 71 61 132Swaziland 12 66 78Uganda 32 39 71Guinea 37 32 69Egypt 26 24 50Namibia 23 26 49Ivory Coast 11 31 42Algeria 16 21 37Cameroon 16 18 34Morocco 16 17 33Other Countries* 138 139 277

TOTAL 658 725 1,383

Migratory Flow of Citizens of Asian CountriesJanuary–December 2011

Country Entry Exit TotalPhillipines 2,351 2,234 4,585Japan 1,702 1,689 3,391South Korea 1,302 1,203 2,505Taiwan (Republic of China) 955 978 1,933India 900 897 1,797Israel 672 608 1,280People’s Republic of China 519 562 1,081Russia 463 576 1,039Sri Lanka 330 292 622Burma/Myanmar 136 135 271Hong Kong 108 112 220Indonesia 106 106 212Turkey 115 81 196Singapore 71 70 141Malaysia 63 56 119North Korea 49 52 101Other Countries 376 387 763

General Total 10,218 10,038 20,256

* Note of Interest: The category ‘Other Countries” includes 27 different nations, thus giving a total of 43 nationalities.

Country Entry Exit Total

South Korea 1163 1148 2311

Japan 1028 960 1988

Taiwan 638 662 1300India 616 601 1217Russia 515 499 1014Israel 531 535 1066People’s Republic of China 499 489 988Sri Lanka 332 310 642Turkey 141 134 175Hong Kong 133 127 260

Other Countries* (22) 704 682 1386

General Total 6300 6147 12,347

Country Entry Exit Total

Gabon 374 355 729

South Africa 95 102 197

Guinea 96 86 182

Burkina Faso 45 45 90

Chad 40 41 81

Ivory Coast 42 37 79

Uganda 36 37 73

Namibia 32 29 61

Ghana 23 23 46

Egypt 16 15 31

Oman 14 14 28

Other Countries 120 123 243

Total 285 266 1852

Extra-Continental Flows that Have Been Received at Extra-Continental Flows that Have Been Received at the Comprehensive Migrant Services Centerthe Comprehensive Migrant Services Center

Year Cases Served

RESOLUTION

TotalExpulsion Refugee Provisional Freedom

2008 10 Asians 4 Africans 3 Europeans

14 1 2 17

2009 59 Asians 33 Africans 5 Europeans

30 63 4 97

2010 41 Asians 21 Africans 3 Europeans

39 16 10 65

2011 6 Asians 8 Africans 1 European

5 9 1 15

2012 2 Asians 5 Africans 3 Europeans

6

3(pending

resolution) 1 10

Total 92 93 18 203

Refugee Status PetitionsRefugee Status Petitions

Country

Sex

TotalM F

Eritrea 21 5 26

Bangladesh 25 25

Nepal 26 26

Equatorial Guinea 1 1

Total 73 5 78

Country

Sex

TotalM F

Eritrea 13 3 16

Bangladesh 2 2

Nepal 6 1 7

Nigeria 1 1

Ethiopia 1 1

Somalia 5 5

Total 28 4 32

2009

2010

2011

2012

Country

Sex

TotalM F

Eritrea 6 2 8

Bangladesh 1 1

Argelia 1 1

TOTAL 8 2 10

Country

Sex

TotalM F

Bangladesh 2 2

East Turkestan 2 2

Ghana 2 2

Total 6 6

Refugee Status PetitionsRefugee Status Petitions

Identified RoutesRoute from Nepal:

Nepal, India, Dubai, Brazil, Peru, to Ecuador by airFrom Ecuador to Nicaragua by fishing vesselFrom Nicaragua to El Salvador by speed boatFrom El Salvador to the United States on foot and by car

Route from India:

India, Hong Kong, Macao (China), Amsterdam (Germany), and Panama by airFrom Panama to El Salvador by airFrom El Salvador by land (bus) to Guatemala

Route from Eritrea:

Eritrea, Sudan, Dubai, Brazil, to Ecuador by airThrough Colombia and Panama to El Salvador by land (through Central America)From El Salvador to the United States by land

Route from Asia:

Mainland China, Nepal, Bangladesh, to India by airFrom India by ship to Ecuador (changing vessels in mid-ocean)From Ecuador by ship (passing through Central America)

Route from Africa:

Ethiopía, Somalia and South Africa to Russia or Saudi Arabia by airTo Cuba and/or Ecuador by airFrom Ecuador to El Salvador

Logistical and Financial Difficulties in Returning Migrants

High cost incurred to:

a)Tend to migrants. (The Migrant Services Center spends approximately $150,000 per year.)b)Purchase airline tickets to return them to their country of origin or residence. The General Directorate has no specific budget item for this. Help in purchasing tickets has been requested from the IOM, Embassies, and relatives.

Logistical and Financial Difficulties in Returning Migrants

Lack of a monetary fund that could contribute to ensuring a rapid and safe migratory exit process.

The IOM only provides funds when the repatriation is voluntary; if not, there is no support.

The language barrier represents one of the principal problems, due to the lack of interpreters.

Lack of Embassies, Consulates, or honorary diplomatic representations of the extra-continental countries.

Challenges Creation of action protocols designed to quickly determine the

identity, profile, and protection needs of individuals who travel in groups and arrive irregularly in the region. To achieve this, a liaison network of migration officers needs to be created to develop and execute a Regional Cooperation Plan for the return and reintegration of irregular extra-continental migrants.

Facilitation and promotion of the migrant’s return to his/her country of origin. This requires voluntary return programs and re-admission agreements between countries.

Creation of a regional voluntary return fund and reintegration programs.

Challenges

Have available permanent, temporary, or virtual human resources to enable communication with this population in terms of linguistic interpretation.

Develop quick and effective application procedures designed to comply with the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea, and Air

Define a mechanism that allows updated information to be obtained regarding current conditions in the countries of origin.

Challenges

Creation of a comprehensive system to share information on migratory flows, and specifically on extra-continental migrants.

Strengthening, integration, and harmonization of existing mechanisms for identifying profiles and referring/channeling cases among the region’s countries.

Regional legalization and establishment of clear protocols, procedures, and guidelines applicable to those extra-continental migrants who can not be returned due to vulnerability situations.