How Maquiladora Industries Contribute to Mexico-U.S. Labor Migration

Abstract

While the California corridor of the U.S.-Mexico border is known for its concentration of large maquiladoras, as well as a route for migration into the United States, there has been little research on how maquiladora employment impacts on international labor migration using subjects north of the border. An analysis of data from the Encuesta sobre Migración en la Frontera Norte de México (1993-1997), administered to those returned by the Border Patrol, finds that potential labor migrants with maquiladora work experience differ from the traditional migratory stream of agricultural workers, as well as from those from other occupational groups. They are more likely to be female, single, highly educated, urban, younger, and less likely to be heads of households. Findings from 101 in-depth interviews with persons who have both maquila and other work experience, and who have worked in the U.S., show that male borderlanders are able to best take advantage of opportunities in maquilas to acquire social and human capital facilitating migration. Borderlander women, along with men and women from the interior, with maquila experience also migrate, but have acquired less social capital. This is a result of economic restructuring to bring industry northward. Maquiladoras facilitate workers’ migration by helping them to obtain documents. Higher wages are the greatest motivator of labor migration, and are reinforced by age discrimination and a lack of labor law enforcement. In addition, maquila employees also migrate to avoid discrimination, intensity of work, harsh discipline, labor market instability and poor pension benefits.

Key words: Maquiladora industries; social capital; human capital; border regions; emigration; skill transfer; exports