Venezuelan Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Venezuela lies on the Caribbean coast of South America and is home to Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world. Spanish is the official language. Millions of Venezuelans have left their country in recent years, and those in Birmingham include professionals, students and families.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 2,281 people living in the city had been born in South America, a group that includes Venezuela; and 976 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Hispanic or Latin American.

Working for Birmingham

Venezuelan residents work in healthcare, engineering, education, hospitality and business, and many are highly qualified professionals rebuilding their careers. Venezuela's oil industry gave many Venezuelans engineering skills that are valued in Britain.

Healthcare, education and the skilled trades are three of the pillars of the city's economy. The NHS is one of Birmingham's biggest employers, its universities teach tens of thousands of students, and there is steady demand for electricians, plumbers, carpenters, decorators and handymen in every neighbourhood, alongside business, transport, hospitality, retail and the city's growing digital and creative industries. People from every background keep these sectors running, and the Venezuelan community shares in that effort.

Culture and community life

Arepas, corn cakes filled with cheese, meat or beans, are the heart of Venezuelan food, and hallacas are made by families at Christmas. Joropo is the national music and dance, and baseball is a national passion.

Like so many of the communities that make up modern Birmingham, the Venezuelan community shows how a city can be home to many cultures at once. Its members are proud of where they come from, and just as proud to be Brummies.