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Outbound Remittances From the Dominican Republic Continue to Grow
While the Dominican Republic is widely recognized for the billions of dollars in remittances it receives each year, a growing flow of money is also being sent abroad by immigrants living in the country, with Haiti accounting for the largest share of these transfers.
Remittances sent from the Dominican Republic to other countries have become an increasingly significant component of the country’s migration and economic landscape, although they receive far less public attention than the billions of dollars flowing into the nation from the Dominican diaspora.
According to data from the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD), outbound remittances totaled US$862.2 million in 2023, up from US$708.8 million in 2022, representing a 21.7% year-over-year increase. Since 2021, the Dominican Republic has received approximately US$10 billion annually in inbound remittances, making outward transfers comparatively smaller but increasingly relevant for understanding migration patterns.
Haiti Remains the Main Destination
Official figures show that 61.0% of all remittances sent abroad from the Dominican Republic in 2023 were transferred to Haiti. The United States received 22.5%, while Colombia accounted for 4.4%.
These three countries have consistently ranked as the leading destinations for outbound remittances since 2020. Other notable destinations include Mexico, Spain, and several countries across the Americas and Europe.
Most Immigrant Remittances Are Relatively Small
Data from the Second National Survey of Immigrants (ENI 2017), published by the National Statistics Office (ONE), indicates that most immigrants who send money abroad transfer relatively modest amounts.
The survey found that 42% of respondents sent between US$100 and US$299 during the previous year, while another 18% remitted less than US$100. Overall, six out of every ten immigrants who sent remittances transferred less than US$300 annually.
Among immigrants born in Haiti, the distribution closely mirrored the overall results. By contrast, respondents born in other countries reported a broader range of transfer amounts, with 28% sending more than US$1,000 during the year.
Construction Workers Frequently Send Monthly Transfers
A more recent study by the National Institute of Migration (INM), based on its 2025 Construction Sector Survey (ENSECON), examined remittance behavior among construction workers, the majority of whom were Haitian nationals.
The survey found that 31.4% of respondents regularly sent less than RD$5,000 per month to Haiti. The most common transfer range was between RD$5,000 and RD$6,999, representing 32.3% of participants.
Growing Cross-Border Financial Links
The available evidence suggests that outbound remittances from the Dominican Republic continue to grow while remaining heavily concentrated in transfers to Haiti. Existing surveys also indicate that most immigrant workers send relatively small but regular amounts to support relatives in their countries of origin.
The author notes, however, that current surveys focus on specific population groups rather than the entire universe of remittance senders. As a result, additional research would be needed to better understand the factors behind the continued growth of outbound remittances from the Dominican Republic.
