Non-Wage-Related Factors in International Migration: The Case of Tamaulipeco

Abstract

Neo-classical economic theory and the new labor migration economy explain migratory processes in contradictory manners. While the former places the origin of migration in wage disparities between countries, the latter focuses attention on the context in which migration operates. Based on the example of undocumented farm workers from Tamaulipas employed in the United States, it can be inferred that wage differentials alone do not provide a satisfactory explanation for international migration; on the contrary, migration can be understood as a family survival strategy that relates to inequalities in income distribution. This research (carried out between 2007 and 2008) was based on qualitative methodology. In-depth interviews with 50 migrant farm workers were conducted in 38 rural communities of Tamaulipas (Mexico).