Brazil and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) marked ten years of partnership on 26 March 2026, highlighting efforts to support migrant integration and access to work and services. IOM Director General Amy Pope visited Brazil, including the northern border state of Roraima, to observe Operation Welcome (Operação Acolhida), a coordinated initiative that assists migrants from arrival through integration in cities across the country. The operation, launched by the Brazilian Federal Government in 2018 in response to Venezuelan displacement, combines border reception, emergency shelter, and voluntary relocation to municipalities where migrants can access employment, education, and essential services.
Operation Welcome is supported by federal and local authorities, the Brazilian Armed Forces, UN agencies, civil society, the private sector, and local communities, and is recognized as a global good practice for practical migration management. IOM has played a key role in all pillars of the operation, helping more than 600,000 migrants regularize their stay and assisting over 155,000 through voluntary relocation programs. Broader integration efforts have provided employability support, vocational training, and income opportunities to more than 60,000 migrants, fostering social cohesion and local development.
Partnerships with the private sector remain central to these efforts, enabling migrants to access decent work, develop skills, and contribute to local economies. Brazil currently hosts over 740,000 Venezuelan nationals, many entering through Roraima, which has underscored the need for continued coordination among government authorities, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector. As global humanitarian funding faces constraints, Brazil’s experience demonstrates the importance of linking immediate humanitarian response with long-term integration strategies, reaffirming IOM’s commitment to well-managed migration that benefits both migrants and host communities.
