This paper explores responses to the decent work deficits experienced by displaced Venezuelans in Colombia and Brazil. Both countries have now offered legal temporary status to almost all Venezuelan migrants and refugees, including the right to work and rights as workers. These permits have brought meaningful benefits, but many Venezuelans still labor under substantially worse conditions than their local counterparts. It is widely understood that part of the solution is to facilitate recognition of Venezuelans’ educational and professional credentials so they can gain high-skilled formal employment. Opening these doors will be important for those who qualify. Yet the majority of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia and Brazil have a secondary education or less, and are likely to remain in informal and low-wage formal sectors for the foreseeable future.
