Highly qualified Mexican women, in the US labor market integrated or segregated?

Abstract

This paper explores the increase in qualified female migration from Mexico to the US in the last three decades. The objective is to present a general overview of the labor insertion of qualified Mexican women who have migrated to that country, from a comparative perspective with their male conationals, non Hispanic white natives and other immigrant women. A mixed methodology is used, which includes, on the one hand, a statistical analysis of the levels of economic participation and the main occupation groups, and on the other, a qualitative study that included in depth interviews with the population studied. It was found that the differences in the labor insertion of migrant women are explained by their educational level, their ethnic origin and by gender differences. Mexican women are integrating to the US labor market in conditions of disadvantage with respect to native and other immigrant women, such as those from Asia.