MigrantoSalvadoran Diaspora
1.8M Salvadorans live abroad — the #45 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 91% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| USA | 1569946 |
| Mexico | 55410 |
| Canada | 49004 |
| Spain | 42228 |
| Italy | 24538 |
| Guatemala | 22750 |
| Costa Rica | 20131 |
| Belize | 11092 |
| Australia | 10898 |
| Honduras | 9234 |
| Panama | 6326 |
| Belgium | 2981 |
| Nicaragua | 2653 |
| Chile | 1289 |
| Venezuela | 912 |
| Argentina | 901 |
| Colombia | 898 |
| Libya | 797 |
| Peru | 615 |
| Ecuador | 433 |
| Dominican Republic | 300 |
| Norway | 250 |
| Bolivia | 156 |
| Jamaica | 135 |
| Denmark | 125 |
| Puerto Rico | 117 |
| Portugal | 108 |
| Finland | 87 |
| Bahamas | 81 |
| Brazil | 71 |
| Luxembourg | 54 |
| Greece | 52 |
| Iceland | 41 |
| Hungary | 25 |
| Bulgaria | 15 |
| Cyprus | 8 |
| Estonia | 4 |
| Guinea | 2 |
| Slovakia | 1 |
| Slovenia | 1 |
| Liechtenstein | 1 |
By destination region
North America is the leading destination region at 88%
1.6M
133.5K
70.5K
10.9K
799
8
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from El Salvador.
Mexico is the fastest-growing major destination
Emigration to Mexico has increased by 294% since 2015, rising from 14K to 55.4K in 9 years.
USA is the primary destination for emigrants
USA attracts 86% of all emigrants from El Salvador, while the second-largest destination receives just 3%.
Emigration has become more concentrated over time
The top destination's share rose from 50% to 86%, with USA increasingly the primary choice.
The share of emigrants going to Latin America has declined since 1990
The share of emigrants going to Latin America has shifted from 46% to 7.3% since 1990.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 955569 |
| 1995 | 1005420 |
| 2000 | 906731 |
| 2005 | 1108043 |
| 2010 | 1359464 |
| 2015 | 1541873 |
| 2020 | 1679667 |
| 2024 | 1834670 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | USA | Mexico | Canada | Spain | Italy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 474241 | 7223 | 27442 | 1223 | 1494 |
| 1995 | 725057 | 7179 | 32088 | 1765 | 2357 |
| 2000 | 802250 | 7592 | 37461 | 2507 | 3600 |
| 2005 | 992393 | 8433 | 42348 | 4191 | 6014 |
| 2010 | 1223863 | 8433 | 44461 | 7426 | 8795 |
| 2015 | 1379162 | 14048 | 48522 | 13781 | 12473 |
| 2020 | 1463484 | 38533 | 49409 | 26018 | 18402 |
| 2024 | 1569946 | 55410 | 49004 | 42228 | 24538 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
El Salvador as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from El Salvador
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Salvadorans move to?
Most Salvadorans have moved to USA, Mexico and Canada — these three countries account for about 91% of all Salvadorans living abroad.
How many Salvadorans live abroad?
Around 1.8M Salvadorans live abroad, making it the #45-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of El Salvador lives abroad?
About 29% of the population of El Salvador lives abroad — that's 1.8M out of a total population of 6.3M.
How has emigration from El Salvador changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from El Salvador has grown from 1.5M to 1.8M people, a growth of about 19%.
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