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By: Stella Clark
Country Overview
Nicaragua is a lower-middle-income Central American country, with an economy weighted toward agriculture, services and remittances, and a population of about 6.8 million. Political and economic instability (including the 2018 protests) and limited formal employment opportunities are among the drivers of its outward migration.
Key Labor Export Statistics
Approximately 1.5 million Nicaraguans live abroad (UN DESA 2024).
Gender distribution: about 52% male and 48% female among migrants (UN DESA 2024).
Main employment sectors abroad: domestic work, agriculture, construction, and services (ILO 2024; IOM 2023).
Top Destination Countries
United States
Costa Rica
Spain
Panama
(UN DESA 2023; IOM 2023)
Remittance Data
Annual remittance inflow (2024): US $5.2 billion
Share of GDP: 26.6 % (World Bank 2024; IMF 2024)
Legal Gaps
Nicaragua lacks strong bilateral labor agreements with destination countries, limiting legal protection for its workers abroad. Existing migration and labor frameworks provide minimal reintegration support for returnees. Additionally, oversight of recruitment and employment conditions for temporary or irregular workers remains weak. The absence of coordinated regional protections exposes many Nicaraguan migrants, particularly in Costa Rica and the United States, to labor exploitation and wage theft (ILO 2024; U.S. Department of State 2024)..
NGO & Support Resources
International Organization for Migration (IOM) :IOM
UNHCR Nicaragua:Nicaragua | UNHCR
Alianza Americas: Alianza
“Migration has become a vital coping mechanism for Nicaraguan households, as remittances now account for over one-quarter of the nation’s GDP, reflecting both economic resilience and dependency.”
— World Bank 2024; IOM 2023
Sources
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). 2024. International Migrant Stock 2024: Key Facts and Figures. New York: United Nations.
World Bank. 2024. Nicaragua – Country Overview. Washington, DC.
World Bank. 2024. Personal Remittances, Received (% of GDP) – Nicaragua. Washington, DC: World Bank Data Portal.
International Monetary Fund (IMF). 2024. Nicaragua: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2024 Article IV Mission. Washington, DC.
International Labour Organization (ILO). 2024. Country Profile: Nicaragua – Labour Migration and Decent Work. Geneva.
International Organization for Migration (IOM). 2023. Migration Trends in Central America and the Caribbean. San José: IOM Regional Office.
U.S. Department of State. 2024. Trafficking in Persons Report – Nicaragua Section. Washington, DC.
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