Migrant Workers Filling More Manual Labour Jobs as Skilled Belizeans Leave

Belize is facing a growing shift in its labour force, with migrant workers now dominating many areas of the country’s manual labour sector as fewer Belizeans show interest in physically demanding jobs. According to Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Labour and Immigration, Tanya Santos, the ministry has found that employers are increasingly relying on foreign workers to fill positions in construction, agriculture, tourism support services and other forms of manual labour because many Belizeans are reluctant or hesitant to engage in that type of work.  At the same time, Santos says Belize is also experiencing shortages in highly skilled professions, particularly in the medical field.  CEO Santos explained that while Belize continues investing in education and professional development, many trained Belizeans are pursuing careers overseas where salaries and opportunities are often more attractive.

Tanya Santos Neal, CEO, Ministry of Immigration: “I think efforts have been made in the past to get Belizeans to do some of those manual tasks in the agriculture industry. It didn’t fare off well and I don’t think it will now either. Getting people in the banana industry, in the now coconut is a big one you know, it’s that’s their labor. That’s where they go to. They have standing arrangements with Guatemala and with Honduras to bring in workers for manual labor. And now, even construction. Construction needs workers and we’re seeing demands and request for workers in the construction industry and manual labor. And even in the medical field, we’re seeing a significant increase in requests for doctors whether from Cuba, Nicaragua, Guatemala, it’s increasing. Yes, and I know that some of our doctors are actually leaving through the CSME and we have maybe three or four doctors who have left recently.”

The labour shortage has now become significant enough that it is beginning to affect major national projects and private sector operations across the country. Santos says the ministry has been receiving an increasing number of requests from employers seeking assistance in sourcing workers, particularly in manual labour and construction.