Venezuela

Venezuela

South America

South America
17
Overall score
Low overall · Penalty applied · 83% data coverage
Language
Spanish
Currency
VES
Citizenship
10 years
Personal tax
Up to 34%
Cost of living
$800 / mo (single; volatility is high)
Overall scoring rubric
47
Access

How easy it is to get in, stay, and build status.

17% of Overall
39Residence12%
65Citizenship and passport5%
52
Earning power

How far local income goes after prices.

25% of Overall
Salary and work12%
52Buying power13%
34
Business and wealth

How friendly the country is for taxes, companies, and investing.

20% of Overall
48Taxes7%
24Business8%
30Investment5%
51
Daily life

How comfortable everyday life is for families and long stays.

25% of Overall
40Quality of life18%
80Education7%
9
Rights and institutions

How reliable freedoms and institutions are.

13% of Overall
19Freedom6%
1Rule of law7%

Penalty: Severe safety risk (27) cut the overall score from 40 to 30. Safety measures the homicide rate, political stability, and control of corruption.

Healthcare (45) clears the 40 floor, so no penalty applies.

Environment (81) clears the 35 floor, so no penalty applies.

Penalty: Weak rights and institutions (9) cut the overall score from 30 to 17. Rights and institutions measures political and civil freedoms and the rule of law.

Overall score
Final weighted result
17

A low-cost South American country with low university tuition, but serious economic and political risk, a weaker passport and a long 10-year naturalisation wait.

Pros

  • Low university tuition

Cons

  • Serious economic and political risk
  • A weaker passport
  • A long 10-year naturalisation wait

Best for

Students

Score profile

Access
Residence
39
Citizenship
63
Passport
70
Earning power
Salary & work
Buying power
52
Cost of living
58
Economy
55
Business and wealth
Taxes
48
Personal tax
38
Corporate tax
3
Business
24
Investment
30
Wealth building
Daily life
Safety
27
Healthcare
45
Environment
81
Infrastructure
50
Education
80
HDI
71
Rights and institutions
Freedom
19
Rule of law
1

Access

Residence

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any residence / visa decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Openness to residents
Limited
39
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines international migrant stock (40%), regulatory quality (20%), the breadth of named residence pathways (25%), and time to permanent residence (15%). Available indicators are reweighted.

Migrant stock4.4% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality-1.90 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible
StudentRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
WorkRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employedRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
PermanentRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Citizenship

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any citizenship decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Citizenship accessibility
Moderate
63
Years required10 years
Dual allowedtrue
LanguageCheck the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
ResidenceTypical headline route: 10 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
NotesRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Passport

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any travel or visa decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Passport power
Good
70

Passport-index style mobility for the Venezuela passport. The score above is its world reach: the share of 198 destinations reachable without a prior visa.

139 / 198
Mobility
#36
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free92
  • On arrival43
  • eTA4
  • Visa required59

Passport Index style mobility data (2024–2025 estimate). Placeholder figures; verify current entry rules with each destination’s authority before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Data not available
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines output per worker (a proxy for wage potential at 40%), unemployment (35%) and labour-force participation (25%). Available indicators are reweighted; the curated profile fields remain below.

Unemployment5.3% (2025)
Participation51.9% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tech salary (estimate)Varies substantially by city, seniority, and employer
FreelanceMarket access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job marketUse current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Moderate
52
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score estimates how far money goes for the typical person here. It combines GNI per capita at PPP (30%) and actual household consumption per person at PPP (15%) with a price-advantage term from the local price level (25%) that rewards lower prices, then adjusts for income equality via the Gini index (20%), so unequal economies don't ride a high average, plus price stability via consumer inflation (10%). Available indicators are reweighted; it is a comparison, not a personal budget estimate.

GNI / person$20,840 PPP (2011)
Consumption / person$10,922 PPP (2011)
Price level69 (US = 100) (2011)
Income inequality44.7 Gini (2006)
Inflation254.9% / yr (2016)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Moderate
58

Our 0–100 affordability score is derived from the local consumer price level (World Bank, US = 100): the cheaper everyday prices are, the higher it scores. Lower price level means your money goes further here.

Price level69 (US = 100) (2011)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

RentVaries substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly$800 / mo (single; volatility is high)
CitiesCaracas, Maracaibo, Valencia
Economy
Economic strength
Moderate
55
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines income level (GDP and GNI per capita, output per worker), growth momentum (real GDP growth), price stability (inflation) and labour utilisation (unemployment). Available indicators are reweighted; the sector split and industry profile below are descriptive, not scored.

Output & income
GDP$99.7B (2025)
GDP / person$3,495 (2025)
GNI / person$20,840 PPP (2011)
GDP growth5.3% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation254.9% / yr (2016)
Unemployment5.3% (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture0.0% of GDP (2011)
Industry0.0% of GDP (2011)
Services0.0% of GDP (2011)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
Oil & gasPetrochemicalsMiningAgriculture
Top exports
Crude oilGoldPetrochemicals
TypeCrisis economy, historically oil-driven
Key sectorsOil (the world's largest reserves), Mining
SummaryAn economy sitting on the world's largest oil reserves but devastated by years of mismanagement and hyperinflation.
CurrencyVenezuelan bolivar (history of hyperinflation; US dollars widely used)

Business and wealth

Taxes

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Tax friendliness
Moderate
48
PersonalUp to 34%
CorporateGenerally up to 34%
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit taxCheck current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign cosManagement, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply
Personal tax

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Personal tax
Limited
38
PersonalUp to 34%
FreelanceRegistration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit taxCheck current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Corporate tax

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Corporate tax
Low
3
CorporateGenerally up to 34%
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign cosManagement, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply
Business
Business friendliness
Low
24
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score measures the operating environment without counting tax a second time: company formation and ownership rules contribute 40%, regulatory quality 30%, and government effectiveness 30%. Available indicators are reweighted; the values are shown below.

Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality-1.90 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness-1.47 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign co.Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local co.Available company forms and capital requirements vary
FreelanceRegistration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Investment

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any investment / tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Investing environment
Limited
30
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score measures market access without counting tax a second time: broker availability contributes 50%, equity-market depth 30%, and private credit depth 20%. Available indicators are reweighted.

Market cap4% of GDP (2002)
Private credit27% of GDP (2013)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxCheck current national and subnational rules
BrokersLocal and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax / investment decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Wealth accumulation
Data not available
How this score is calculated

How favourable Venezuela is for building wealth: earnings and business/investment upside, tax drag, and how much a typical income keeps after living costs. Estimated from the factors below.

Salary & work
Data not available
Business
Low
24
Investment
Limited
30
Tax friendliness
Moderate
48
Cost of living
Moderate
58

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Low
27
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines personal safety (intentional homicide rate at 50%), political stability and absence of violence (30%), and control of corruption (20%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below. Always check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Personal safety
Homicide rate12.6 per 100,000 (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption-1.59 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability-1.74 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Moderate
45
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines health outcomes (life expectancy at 25% and under-5 mortality at 20%) with system capacity (physicians at 20% and hospital beds at 15% per 1,000 people) and health spending per capita (20%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below.

Outcomes
Life expectancy72.7 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality24.2 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians1.66 per 1,000 (2017)
Hospital beds0.99 per 1,000 (2020)
Health spending$112 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemPublic/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
InsuranceCheck residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Avg costDepends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage
Environment
Environment score
Excellent
81
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines annual population-weighted PM2.5 exposure at 60% with freshwater stress at 40%. Lower exposure and lower water stress score better. Air quality alone can produce a score because it covers most countries; water stress alone cannot.

Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure19.2 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress7.5% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Moderate
50
How this score is calculated

The score combines digital access, resilience and download performance (30%), electricity access and network losses (30%), and transport infrastructure covering rail, logistics and aviation (40%). Available inputs are reweighted, but a country needs both digital and transport data to receive a score.

Digital infrastructure
Internet use76.7% (2024)
Internet resilience50 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed75 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed51 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses21.4% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality2.40 / 5 (2022)
Rail density0.4 km / 1,000 km² (2006)
Air connectivity817 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Excellent
80
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines attainment (expected schooling at 30% and mean schooling at 25%) with participation (tertiary enrolment at 25%) and public investment (government education spending at 20%). Available indicators are reweighted; tuition and study rules remain separate profile fields below.

Attainment
Expected schooling13.0 years (2023)
Mean schooling9.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment78% gross (2009)
Education spending6.9% of GDP (2009)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

TuitionPublic/low-cost options; availability varies
Public uniVaries by institution, programme, and student nationality
LanguagesSpanish
Student workRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
HDI
Human development score
Good
71
How this score is calculated

The UN Human Development Index is the geometric mean of three dimension indices (a long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living), shown on a 0–100 map scale (HDI × 100). The 2023 UNDP inputs behind each dimension are listed below.

HDI0.709 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy72.5 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling13.0 years (2023)
Mean schooling9.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$7,157 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Low
19
How this score is calculated

The score weights Freedom House’s 0–100 Freedom in the World score at 60% and its Freedom on the Net score at 40%. If either report does not cover a country, the available score is used alone. Scores of 70 and above are rated “Free”, 40–69 “Partly free”, and below 40 “Not free”.

Freedom in the World15 / 100 (Not free)
Freedom on the Net26 / 100 (Not free)
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Low
1
How this score is calculated

The World Bank’s Rule of Law indicator captures how well contracts are enforced and how independent and effective the courts, police and property-rights regime are. We show its 0–100 percentile rank, where higher means stronger, more predictable institutions.

Rule of Law percentile1 / 100
Resources

Official references and quick links for Venezuela. Always confirm against the primary source before acting.

Official references
Quick links

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Mock data for demonstration only. Not legal or tax advice.