Mexico → USA Migration - international labour migration

What it shows:
International labour migration

Location

  • Migration from Mexico to the USA, especially California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas

  • Around 10.9 million Mexican migrants live in the USA

Causes (Push Factors – Mexico)

  • High unemployment and poverty

    • Many people struggle to find stable work in Mexico.

  • Crime and poor farming conditions

    • Arid and semi-arid climates cause water shortages, limiting agricultural opportunities.

Causes (Pull Factors – USA)

  • Higher wages and better job opportunities

    • Many migrants work in construction, agriculture and manual labour.

  • Better quality of life

    • Migrants can send remittances back to family members in Mexico.

Impacts on Mexico (Country of Origin)

  • Remittances support the economy

    • About $48.9 billion was sent from the USA to Mexico in 2021.

  • Loss of young workers in rural areas

    • Some villages have lost large numbers of young adults, leaving ageing communities.

Impacts on the USA (Destination Country)

  • Cheap labour benefits the economy

    • Mexican migrants often fill low-paid jobs that are difficult to fill locally.

  • Job competition and social tensions

    • Some people argue migrants reduce job opportunities for low-skilled Americans.

Response / Government Action

  • The USA has increased border security and immigration enforcement to reduce illegal migration.

What you would actually write in the exam

Structure:

  1. Intro sentence (case study)

  2. Push factors

  3. Pull factors

  4. Impacts

  5. Short conclusion

This gets Level 3 / top band because:

  • Named places

  • Developed explanation

  • Specific facts (e.g. $48.9bn remittances)