1. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MIGRATION WORKFORCE IN THE AMERICAS Jorge Martínez Pizarro CEPAL-CELADE El Salvador, April 23-24, 2009

2. CONTEXT OF WORKFORCE MIGRATION IN THE AMERICAS CONTEXT OF WORKFORCE MIGRATION IN THE AMERICAS Two movement patterns in the region: –From LAC to USA and Canada (also to Spain) –Between LAC countries The USThe US is the primary country of destination within the region (20.4 million Latin American and Caribbean nationals in 2007): Latinos, especially Mexicans, are the primary cheap labor reserve in the US economy. CanadaIn Canada the presence of Latin American and Caribbean nationals is high as well: 600.000 persons in 2001 (11% of the total number of immigrants). Argentina, Costa Rica, and VenezuelaArgentina, Costa Rica, and Venezuela continue to be traditional countries of destination in Latin America and the Caribbean.

3. CONTEXT OF WORKFORCE MIGRATION IN THE AMERICAS CONTEXT OF WORKFORCE MIGRATION IN THE AMERICAS The Agreement on Residence for Nationals of the member countries of MercosurThe Agreement on Residence for Nationals of the member countries of Mercosur has established the freedom of citizens to live and work in all spheres of the member countries (plus Bolivia and Chile), through accreditation of nationality and in the absence of criminal records. migration of less qualified workersIn LAC, migration of less qualified workers prevails: Agricultural workers (in border regions) and construction workers or household workers (in urban areas). urban areas rural areasA higher concentration of migrant workers is observed in urban areas, which offer a greater diversity of work opportunities. In addition, important migration flows of agricultural workers exist, concentrating in rural areas of Belize, the Dominican Republic, Paraguay, and Costa Rica.

4. LABOR INSERTION AND OCCUPATIONAL SECTORS OF MIGRANT WORKERS in Latin America and the Caribbean

5. Table 1 OCCUPATIONAL, PARTICIPATION, AND UNEMPLOYMENT RATES OF MIGRANTS AND NATIONALS IN ELEVEN LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES Source: Victor E. Tokman, Movilidad internacional de personas y protección social LC/L.2913-P, Serie Macroeconomía del Desarrollo, No.67 (LC/L.2913-P), Santiago de Chile, Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), July 2008. Prepared with information from CEPAL about home surveys in each country. *Refers to the arithmetic average. Participation Rate Occupational Rate Unemployment Rate Countries NationalsMigrantsNationalsMigrantsNationalsMigrants Argentina68.671.761.166.410.97.3 Bolivia69.775.765.564.86.114.4 Brazil74.574.167.569.59.34.7 Chile63.671.358.667.57.85.3 Costa Rica66.272.362.269.06.24.6 Ecuador76.481.570.977.37.25.2 Guatemala69.564.366.154.14.815.8 Honduras65.370.760.366.17.76.5 Mexico66.062.963.358.34.17.4 Nicaragua69.060.860.253.612.811.7 Dominican Rep.69.374.155.966.219.310.7 Paraguay72.874.467.169.97.86.1 Average*69.371.153.465.18.58.4

6. Graph 1 GAPS IN PARTICIPATION, OCCUPATIONAL, AND UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN NATIONALS AND MIGRANTS, BY COUNTRY OF DESTINATION Source: Victor E. Tokman, Movilidad internacional de personas y protección social LC/L.2913-P, Serie Macroeconomía del Desarrollo, No.67 (LC/L.2913-P), Santiago de Chile, Comisión Económica para América Latina y el caribe (CEPAL), July 2008. a) Gaps in Participation Rates

7. Graph 1 GAPS IN PARTICIPATION, OCCUPATIONAL, AND UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN NATIONALS AND MIGRANTS, BY COUNTRY OF DESTINATION Source: Victor E. Tokman, Movilidad internacional de personas y protección social LC/L.2913-P, Serie Macroeconomía del Desarrollo, No.67 (LC/L.2913-P), Santiago de Chile, Comisión Económica para América Latina y el caribe (CEPAL), July 2008. b) Gaps in Occupational Rates

8. Graph 1 GAPS IN PARTICIPATION, OCCUPATIONAL, AND UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN NATIONALS AND MIGRANTS, BY COUNTRY OF DESTINATION Source: Victor E. Tokman, Movilidad internacional de personas y protección social LC/L.2913-P, Serie Macroeconomía del Desarrollo, No.67 (LC/L.2913-P), Santiago de Chile, Comisión Económica para América Latina y el caribe (CEPAL), July 2008. c) Gaps in Unemployment Rates

9. Graph 2 LABOR INSERTION OF NATIONALS AND MIGRANTS Source: Victor E. Tokman, Movilidad internacional de personas y protección social LC/L.2913-P, Serie Macroeconomía del Desarrollo, No.67 (LC/L.2913-P), Santiago de Chile, Comisión Económica para América Latina y el caribe (CEPAL), July 2008. 45.4 65.8 51.7 73.8 38.6 59.7 51.8 69.1 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0 InformalEmployedEmployed with a Contract Employed with an Indefinite Contract Percentage Nat.Migrants

10. LABOR INSERTION AND OCCUPATIONAL SECTORS OF MIGRANT WORKERS in the United States LABOR INSERTION AND OCCUPATIONAL SECTORS OF MIGRANT WORKERS in the United States

11. A significant presence of workers from Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The latter show the highest rates of productive labor insertion. Caribbean and South American women show the highest economic productive activity rates. However, rates are still not higher than those of national women. Nevertheless, their participation rate is higher than in their country of origin. Regarding the sectors where they work, differences are observed according to migrants country of origin. Debate on the dependency on migrant workers. LABOR INSERTION AND OCCUPATIONAL SECTORS OF MIGRANT WORKERS in the United States LABOR INSERTION AND OCCUPATIONAL SECTORS OF MIGRANT WORKERS in the United States

12. Table 3 ACTIVITY, BY REGION OF BIRTH: 2007 ( Distribution Percentages) Total Region of Birth Activity Percentage of Nationals Percentage of Born Abroad Caribbean South America Central America Mexico Agriculture (and Other)1.82.60.30.51.5 6.7 Utilities (Electricity, Gas, and Water)0.80.30.40.30.2 Construction7.110.86.811.117.819.8 Industry10.613.07.510.012.615.6 Commerce and Transportation19.317.120.919.315.9 14.0 Information and Communications2.51.71.9 1.10.6 Finance6.95.57.36.64.42.2 Services to Enterprises9.911.39.111.3 12.210.5 Education, Health, and Social Services 21.116.626.517.3 10.87.6 Arts, Entertainment & Others9.411.89.010.212.514.7 Other Services4.56.46.18.78.86.3 Public Administration4.82.03.12.01.40.9 Armed Forces0.70.20.30.2 0.1 Unemployed0.7 0.80.60.7 Total100.0 Source: Pew Hispanic Center, data from the American Community Survey (ACS), 2007 (1% IPUMS)

13. LABOR INSERTION AND OCCUPATIONAL SECTORS OF MIGRANT WORKERS in Canada LABOR INSERTION AND OCCUPATIONAL SECTORS OF MIGRANT WORKERS in Canada

14. high employment rateIn 2001, men and women from the LAC region showed a high employment rate. Most of the men work in the manufacture sector, while women prefer working in the social services and health sectors. economically active individuals working as professionals is quite highThe percentage of economically active individuals working as professionals is quite high: 30% of the men and 50% of the women. WomenWomen not only represent the majority of the contingent of immigrants in the region but also, labor insertion is easier for them than for men. LABOR INSERTION AND OCCUPATIONAL SECTORS OF MIGRANT WORKERS in Canada LABOR INSERTION AND OCCUPATIONAL SECTORS OF MIGRANT WORKERS in Canada

15. Graph 6 CANADA: INDIVIDUALS BORN IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, 15 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER, WORKING AS HIGHLY QUALIFIED WORKERS, BY GENDER, 2001 (Percentages)

16. QUALIFIED MIGRANTS IN THE REGION

17. Loss of highly qualified populations. Apparently, benefits for the countries of origin have not clearly materialized. 1 million1 million professionals, technical workers, and members of related professions living outside their country of origin were registered in LAC in 2000. 25% 13.4%At an intra-Latin American level, the above mentioned professionals accounted for 25% of the total of qualified migrants and 13.4% of the total number of economically active migrant populations (EAP).

18. Graph 7 LATIN AMERICA: PERCENTAGES OF PROFESSIONALS, TECHNICAL WORKERS, AND MEMBERS OF RELATED PROFESSIONS IN ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE POPULATIONS BORN IN LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES, BY COUNTRY OF PRESENCE, CIRCA 2000 *PTA: Professionals, technical workers, and members of related professions Source: Victor E. Tokman, Movilidad internacional de personas y protección social LC/L.2913-P, Serie Macroeconomía del Desarrollo, No.67 (LC/L.2913-P), Santiago de Chile, Comisión Económica para América Latina y el caribe (CEPAL), July 2008. 9.3 23.0 31.3 27.3 12.4 16.7 15.6 24.9 27.6 17.1 12.7 5.9 12.4 13.4 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 ARBOBRCLCRECGTHNMXPAPYDOVETotal Country of Presence Percentages PTA* / EAP

19. QUALIFIED MIGRANTS IN THE REGION In the US, the percentage of professionals, technical workers, and members of related professions out of the total of Latin American immigrant EAPs has increased but is still much lower than the corresponding percentage of nationals. Educational backgrounds are heterogeneous: South American and Caribbean nationals show significantly higher education levels than Central Americans and Mexicans. selectivity towards less qualified workers, that is, workers with lower relative education levels The occupational structure of Mesoamerican migrants in the US shows selectivity towards less qualified workers, that is, workers with lower relative education levels.

20. WOMEN MIGRANTS AND HOUSEHOLD WORK

21. At an intra-regional level, 27% of the female migrant workforce is employed as household workers. Argentina, Chile, and Costa Rica show the highest rates of women migrant household workers. This type of migration does not displace nationals from their jobs but rather, fosters the evolution of the labor market, which is facing depletion of labor supply by rural migrants, with the type of services provided changing from full-time employment to outdoors employment (substitution). Maternity, economic vulnerability, and lack of empowerment are driving women to accept less prestigious jobs and lower salaries than those accepted by men with similar qualification levels. This causes segmentation in precarious jobs, with a high risk of exploitation (in the case of housework).

22. Graph 9 LATIN AMERICA: PERCENTAGES OF MIGRANT WOMEN HOUSEHOLD WORKERS, BY COUNTRY OF BIRTH. CIRCA 2000. Source: IMILA Program of CELADE. National population censuses, special REDATAM processing.

23. MIGRATION OF WOMEN AND HOUSHOLD WORK Not only is labor segregation by gender observed but also by country of origin. Such is the case of Peruvian women in Chile and Argentina, and Nicaraguan women in Costa Rica. A high education level is a comparative advantage among migrants applying for jobs in this sector. However, overqualified houseworkers do not earn better salaries. The conditions of vulnerability and the discrimination that the workers are subject to in carrying out these jobs remind us that countries of origin as well as countries of destination should provide all the necessary protection to ensure compliance with international laws. Percentage of Women Houseworkers NationalsMigrants Costa Rica9.142.0 Chile16.072.0

24. Thank you!