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I recently read a 2021 study about returning immigration and noticed that Latin America has the most countries with a relatively high percentages of returning migrants of all immigrants to each country. This mean that a large percentage of Latin Americans that emigrate (I suppose emigration from LA to the USA/Canada or Europe is greater than within LA migration) return to their countries, more so than is typical in the world.
Another fact that popped up was the level of average education of the returning migrants vs the average education in their countries of origin. What the results show is that overall in Latin America, particularly South America, returning migrants usually have a higher education level than the average for their country.
I can very much see this. Firstly, those with education and resources to begin with will have better access to legal avenues of immigration, such as student and work visas. Those types of people may be more compelled to come back, since they essentially will return as "owners" of the country. Those of you who speak Spanish understand what the word "owner" implies in this case. Latin America is a wonderful place to have a good life...if you can afford it.
Plenty of Latin Americans vow to never return to their countries, but it seems like many more are poor at fully adapting to life in the new country, or at the very least always have the idea of returning in the back of their minds. Sorry if that offends people, but it's just observations made after years of working with immigrants. "Expats" in LatAm usually suck at adapting to their new countries as well, and if they don't head home they'll at least bounce from country to country,
The stats may also be skewed in the sense of Latin American countries having less contemporary immigration than many other parts of the world still. There are exceptions, such as the "Venezuelan avalanche" across South American countries-- but even those folks are now looking for other options, such as returning to Venezuela or seeking asylum in the US.
Regarding Venezuelan immigrants, the flow out of Venezuela is still great. Plus, I don't think returning to Venezuela is still much of a phenomenon except for one or two people, but thst is with everywhere at everytime.
Looking at the latest (Dec 2022) and comparing with a previous one (June 2021) the following is evident:
- Total number of Venezuelans outside Venezuela in Latin America increased from 4.3 million to 5.99 million.
- " " in the world increased from 5.1 million to 7.13 million.
- Chile, Argentina, Guyana, and Curaçao show decreases.
- Aruba things are stable.
- Everywhere else the Venezuelan population was greater in December 2022 than in June 2020.
The countries with the most Venezuelans in December 2022 per sub-regions are:
- Mexico and Central America = Panama
- Mexico and the Caribbean = Dominican Republic
- Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean = Panama
- The Caribbean = Dominican Republic
- Lesser Antilles (including Guyana despite it's in South America and islands such as Trinidad & Tobago, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, etc) = Trinidad & Tobago
- South America = Colombia
- South America with Pacific coast = Colombia
- South America with Pacific coast (excluding Colombia) = Peru
- South America with Atlantic coast (not counting Caribbean coast) = Brazil
- Cono Sur = Chile
- Cono Sur (excluding Chile) = Argentina
Regarding Dominicans returning to the DR, this topic is touched in several programs. For example, in this one it touches on the subject at 1:33:35.
Paraphrasing In English:
Host: “I would like to see the Dominicans living abroad to start returning to the Dominican Republic.”
Hoyo: It’s happening. The new residential projects from the middle class and down, more than half are bought by Dominicans in the diaspora. That’s a good sign.”
Host: “We can say this semi-foreign investment to our country.”
Hoyo: It’s entirely foreign, its money tha was never here. The Dominicans in the diaspora are trusting the country. They are seeing the country from abroad the changes and that’s why I’m seeing foreign interest to invest in our country.”
There are several videos on Youtube of Dominicans either planning to move back to the DR soon or that already moved back and most of these aren’t of the wealthy kind. Two examples.
This guy made this video just the other day since he moved back this 2023. He lived in Queens, NY and said “I gave 15 years to the USA, but I don’t like living here.” “I simply want my Dominican Republic.” Keep in mind that Dominicans are a tropical people and when many move to the USA, it’s usually the Northeast or the Midatlantic. Beyond the difference in language and other culture shocks; things like the cold, most plants look dead, the shorter days of winter; the more stressful lifestyle, etc further causes many Dominicans to dislike it. It doesn’t mean people think the USA is a bad country or doesn’t offer opportunities, etc.
This Dominican woman moved back to the DR after decades living in Italy. She even speaks Spanish with a marked Italian accent. She is of the artist kind.
Another thing that many Dominicans find somewhat hard to get used to is the colder/more reserved nature of the people in North America/Europe. This clashes with the more warm/talkative nature of Dominicans. I can’t find the video, but there is one of a Japanese-Dominican (daughter of Japanese immigrants to the DR). As an adult she moved to Japan and eventually moved back to the DR. One of the reasons she gave was that in Japan she felt as if everyone was ignoring her and no one says hi to anyone in Japanese streets (the very reserved nature of the Japanese, because she looks Japanese.) She made a face lf extreme disappointment. Then she said that she didn’t notice before leaving the DR that she was already Dominicanized as certain things she expected of people isn’t the way of the Japanese.
At least with the DR, the return migration isn’t particularly dominated by “the owners” or the rich.
Most of the returnees I talked to in Mexico told me they didn't want their kids to grow up in American social culture. Others never wanted to stay in the first place. Husbants went alone to America to geet job skills and/or remit enough money to get a fresh start in Mexico.
I was in Ciudad Juarez 2 months ago, and saw my fair share of not only deportees, but 3rd country nationals (Haitians, Central Americans, Cubans) who decided to stay and eke out a living.
Deportees are a very small share of the return migration though. There are many research into the return migration phenomenon and deportees are so few of the overall share that in many they aren't even mentioned. There is also the question that remains in the air of are deportees included in the return migration statistics of many countries.
In this article based on a research they did on return migration from the USA to I think Mexico, the major reasons are the following (they cite third articles).
The dlosest one to deportation would be number 3, but that is not quite given they choose to leave as oppose to being forced to leave or being deported.
What it doesn't say but is quite evidence is that the return migration isn't dominated by "the rich" or "owners" returning to Latin Americs, in this case Mexico.
I would think that there are a lot of Latinos that only come here temporarily, planning to return home.
There are plenty who are from money and come here for education, only to return later.
Others who are from money may come to get their residency/become citizens, so they have options but prefer where they are from.
As stated, one can have a great life in most any of those countries but jobs don't pay much compared to the US and other developed countries. Also, if one wants to travel, a US or some European passport is nice to have as you can visit practically anywhere by just getting a plane ticket. And they can keep their home country's passport.
I have lived in Costa Rica, have spent the better part of 2 1/2 years in Venezuela and months in Mexico and Colombia (wife's from Col and has a place in Medellin as well as our place here in MD). I am a full-on Gringo and love the US and all the advantages we have here, but there are plenty of advantages these other countries have (other then that craphole VEN). I would love to stay/live in Costa Rica, or Cabo, or Colombia long term and it has nothing to do with not liking the US as I love it. Those other places have the climate I like, low cost of living and are more relaxed.
So I can see people moving here, getting a good career for a bit, saving some money but instead of buying a place here, returning "home" and buying a place when they are more comfortable financially.
And many Latinos are big on family. Many come here to support them and then plan to return.
I also feel, many in assorted Latin American countries flee for safety reasons. many of those countries have reputations of not being so stable as governments change. There are always places one can go inside their own country and be safe (look at all the Expat Canadians, Americans , Germans, etc. that move to those places). But many chose to look to more developed and safer locations. Many of them never would affiliate as they love their homeland so as soon as they have money to move to a better place in their own country, or their country improves, they return!
Last edited by marlinfshr; 01-22-2023 at 10:24 AM..
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