Determinants of Return Migration to Mexico among Mexicans in the United States

Juan C. Ruiz-Tagle, University of Maryland
Rebeca Wong, University of Texas Medical Branch

This paper recovers the migration history of individuals aged 16 and older, using data from the 2000 U.S. Census (1% sample) and the 1997 Mexican Survey on Demographic Dynamics, ENADID. We describe major traits: age, gender and educational achievement of both Mexican migrants in the U.S. and return migrants in Mexico. We pay particular attention to the time spent in the U.S. as a variable capturing unobserved characteristics such as family and work networks, command of the English language and other factors that reflect the process of settlement in the U.S. In addition, the analysis is presented for persons aged 65 and older, in an effort to describe the selection process of migrants who stay until the retirement age and are potentially eligible for old-age benefits in the U.S.