The Population Division of the Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL = La División de Población de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe) elaborated a wide study about the international migration of young people to the USA and countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. In this work they analyse, for instance, the motives the young people have to leave their home country, the problems they are confronted with in the country they chose to settle and which characteristics the society presents which receives them.

The following throws light on the most relevant aspects of the document that has utilized the census information of the IMILA Project of the Population and Development Area of Central America and the Caribbean Demography, CELADE.

-International migration constitutes a relevant matter of the social, economic and political agenda and will be a priority subject for the next ten years.

-The increasing facilities of communication and transport, that are consequences of the economic and cultural globalization, promote mobility. This is especially seen among young people that turn into vulnerable humans because they haven't yet reached stability and are therefore not yet completely prepared to be social actors.

-The term 'young' refers to people between 15-24 years of age.

-Young people are most likely to feel the constant necessity to achieve new goals regarding material, intellectual and artistic objects. Since their lives are at a stage of initiation and full of projects, they believe that the conditions to realize their dreams are better in another country than the ones that their own country provides.

-On the other hand, as soon as the young suffer shortage - in any form - they feel an even greater impulse to leave their culture, family and home. And they don't have any fears to face the environmental, social, economic and cultural changes. Therefore they adjust easily, with optimistic hopes and expectations. Nevertheless, difficulties arise when trying to enter the job market because a lot of countries are discriminating.

-The number of young people migrating out of their country is low, the percentage of registered aliens around the 1990ies made up approximately 2% of the young between 15-24 years of age. But this number showed an immense increase of 35% regarding the decade before, principally on account of the many that enthusiastically sought their luck in the United States of America.

-In the 1980ies Argentina turned into a traditional destination for Paraguayan, Chilean, Bolivian and Uruguayan migrants as Venezuela for many Columbians.

-One of the reasons of mobility during this epoch apart from the job reasons were the school exchanges as the academic centres of some countries turned out to be very attractive for those who wanted to take any postgraduate course.

-Emigration to destinations outside Latin America and the Caribbean was mainly concentrated on the United States of America. The number of immigrants in the USA totalled 8.500.000 people in 1990, five times higher than in 1970.

-Among the migration streams towards North America represented a strong number of South American professionals and technicians.

-In a different order, it is established that the emigration could turn into an instrument of social prominence of the young in contrast to their original communities, particularly when they achieve to save money to send to their families.

-At the beginning of 1980 almost 335 million young people resided in other countries than their own one within Latin America and the Caribbean though in the first years of 1990 this number still climbed up to 350 millions.

-The streams that were outstanding were the ones from Columbia to Venezuela that reached 110 million people in 1980 but lowered to 85 million ten years later, the stream of Chileans, Paraguayans, Bolivians and Uruguayans - in the same order - to Argentina, Brazilians and Argentineans to Paraguay and a stream of Guatemalans to Mexico.

-During the 1990ies the intraregional migration diminished and diversified and a process of return of those born abroad was registered, especially Paraguayans that returned from Argentina to their home country.

-Studies of international migration in Latin America show that especially the low education and qualification levels of the workers cause a migration between bordering countries.

-Furthermore it is proved that economic participation of the migrants tends to be equal or superior compared to the ones of their original population.

-Another interesting data is, that the older a person is, the more his time as a resident in the recipient country extends.

-Regarding the factors that make the recipient countries so attractive, it was observed that Argentina was liked for its diversified job market, Paraguay for its colonization process and execution of its hydroelectric works during the 70ies and 80ies and Venezuela for its economic peak during those years. The immigration of these three countries represents a predominance of women. This group is the one confronted with the most problems due to their little activity, their domestic responsibilities and low education levels that inhibit them to productively integrate themselves and receive an adequate salary.

-At the beginnings of 1990 the Columbian, Brazilian and Chilean migrants changed their destinations of Venezuela, Paraguay and Argentina for Ecuador, Argentina and Venezuela. Female predominance looses its weight, as in some fields there are mainly males, especially Chileans. Another data is that the education levels are very heterogeneous (very high among the Chileans). Nevertheless, the higher education of the emigrants that chose non bordering countries isn't reflected in higher work participation.

-The most dynamic migratory behaviour that has been noticed during the past decades is the stream of young people from Latin American and the Caribbean towards the USA. The emigration towards this country is motivated by the search for better work opportunities and personal formation associated with the pursuit of their dreams and cultural goals.

-In the middle of the 1990ies there were 700 million applications of young people for entry permit.

-According to the census (counts) in 1980 and 1990 the number of the people settled in this region climbed from 900.000 to 1.600.000.

-The number of immigrants is mainly men.

-The highest representations are the natives from Mexico and Central America with approximately 20%.

-The migration reasons of the Mexicans - that form the main part - are the geographical nearness to other countries and their historic-cultural links whereas the reasons for Central America laid within the serious socio-political conflicts during the 1970ies and 1980ies and the socioeconomic problems.

-The number of Cuban emigrants that was outstanding in the 1980ies, diminished as well as the number of South Americans whereas the number of emigrating Haitians and Dominicans that wanted to improve their living conditions in North America increased.

-About the characteristics of the education level of the immigrants of 1997, it was observed that only one third of the Mexicans, Salvadorans and Guatemalans completed their secondary education, showing with this an increased vulnerability.

-The South Americans showed the highest educational goals with 74% that finished their secondary education and 60% out of the 74% accomplished further education, especially the Chileans and Argentines.

-Among the people of the Caribbean, the Cubans and Haitians stand out with a majority that has obtained a university degree.

-At last, the census of the US Americans reflected that in 1997 27% of the immigrating population of Latin American and the Caribbean has lived in poor conditions. The Mexicans have achieved the highest index with 34%, followed by the people of Central America and the Caribbean. Among the South Americans the number dropped to 15%, a similar number to the immigrants from Europe, Asia and Africa.