Growth in High-Skilled Mexican Migration Northward: American and Canadian Destinations.

El crecimiento de la migración mexicana calificada hacia el norte: destinos estadounidenses y canadienses.

OCCUPATIONAL mobility; STUDENT mobility; EMIGRATION & immigration; VOLUNTEERS; MEXICANS

Mientras comienza a aumentar la migración de mexicanas/os con educación universitaria a Estados Unidos y Canadá, las oportunidades ofrecidas por Canadá y su sistema expansivo de selección de puntos, con oportunidad de residencia permanente, subraya una pregunta: ¿qué factores podrían inducir a estas/os migrantes a preferir destinos canadienses sobre estadounidenses? Empleando teorías migratorias tradicionales y entrevistando a una muestra de 40 voluntarias/os universitarias/os, se confirma que la proximidad, el clima y la cultura suelen favorecen destinos estadounidenses; mientras que la seguridad personal, la aceptación y bienestar social, favorecen a Canadá. Las preferencias urbanas específicas importan: en Estados Unidos, dichos motivos generalmente favorecen a ciudades del sur, destinos tradicionales para mexicanas/os menos calificadas/os. Quienes consideran ciudades del norte, con mayor frecuencia prefieren un destino canadiense. Este hallazgo sugiere que Canadá tendrá mayor competitividad en el mercado urbano del norte incrementando la información sobre sus oportunidades migratorias, impulsando significativamente la migración calificada mexicana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As migration of university-educated Mexicans to both the United States and Canada has begun to increase, the greater opportunities Canada's expanding points-based selection system offers for the highly skilled to become permanent residents highlights a question: which factors may induce high-skilled Mexicans to prefer Canadian destinations versus American? Using traditional migration theories to frame interviews with a volunteer sample of 40 young university-educated Mexicans, this study confirms that reasons of proximity, climate, and culture often favor American destinations, while reasons of social acceptance, social welfare, and personal security favor Canadian. Importantly, urban-specific preferences matter. Those factors favoring U.S. destinations in general lead many to prefer southern-tier U.S. cities traditional for less-skilled Mexican migration. Those considering northern U.S. cities often prefer a Canadian choice. Canadian competitiveness in the northern urban market suggests that increased awareness of Canadian immigration opportunities could significantly boost skilled Mexican migration to Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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