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Colombian Immigrants In The United States Of America: Education Levels, Job Qualifications And The Decision To Go Back Home

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Listed:
  • Carlos Alberto Medina
  • Enrique López
  • Martha Misas

Abstract

This document shows that Colombian immigrants, who returned to the country from the United States between 1990 and 2005, were on average less well-educated than those who decided to stay in the U.S. This is a fact that has contributed to emphasizing the positive selection made by Colombians when choosing the U.S. as their destination, and, as a result, has increased the net flight of human capital (the so-called brain drain). Although data does not allow us to include the quality of the jobs that immi-grants are performing in the U.S. as a determinant of the decision to return, it allows us to show that Colombian immigrants are usually engaged in jobs that require qualifications commensurate with the level of education. We also provide evidence that Colombia is a net exporter of 5% of its population with a university or post-graduate degree.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Alberto Medina & Enrique López & Martha Misas, 2011. "Colombian Immigrants In The United States Of America: Education Levels, Job Qualifications And The Decision To Go Back Home," Revista ESPE - Ensayos sobre Política Económica, Banco de la Republica de Colombia, vol. 29(65), pages 12-59, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdr:ensayo:v:29:y:2011:i:65:p:12-59
    DOI: 10.32468/Espe.6501
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David H. Autor & Frank Levy & Richard J. Murnane, 2003. "The skill content of recent technological change: an empirical exploration," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, issue Nov.
    2. Carlos Medina & Lina Cardona, 2010. "The Effects of Remittances on Household Consumption, Education Attendance and Living Standards: the Case of Colombia," Lecturas de Economía, Universidad de Antioquia, Departamento de Economía, issue 72, pages 11-44.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    International Migration; Returned Migrants; Task Qualification; contamination bias;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F20 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - General
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • C49 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Other

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