Historically, all the countries of the Americas have experienced migratory movements, particularly from Europe and Africa, which have contributed significantly to their populations. After gaining independence, many countries in the region encouraged migration from Europe to attract the capital and labor needed for economic development. The World Wars and the Great Depression resulted in a large reduction in such movements, although many displaced persons arrived in the countries of the Americas after World War II. This created a temporary surge, but then movements remained limited. Few countries have experienced the same scale of movements recorded in North America and Northern Europe, in the latter case to support reconstruction efforts after World War II and later the growth of their economies. Although labor migration in Europe fell sharply after the first oil crisis in the mid-1970s, family migration continued. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, significant migratory movements of a humanitarian nature were registered and labor migration resumed its course in many countries, although at modest levels except in the old countries of emigration such as Ireland and the countries of Eastern Europe. South, where low birth rates and a significant increase in the educational attainment of young people created a labor market for low- and medium-skilled immigrants. Although labor migration in Europe fell sharply after the first oil crisis in the mid-1970s, family migration continued. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, significant migratory movements of a humanitarian nature were registered and labor migration resumed its course in many countries, although at modest levels except in the old countries of emigration such as Ireland and the countries of Eastern Europe. South, where low birth rates and a significant increase in the educational attainment of young people created a labor market for low- and medium-skilled immigrants. Although labor migration in Europe fell sharply after the first oil crisis in the mid-1970s, family migration continued. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, significant migratory movements of a humanitarian nature were registered and labor migration resumed its course in many countries, although at modest levels except in the old countries of emigration such as Ireland and the countries of Eastern Europe. South, where low birth rates and a significant increase in the educational attainment of young people created a labor market for low- and medium-skilled immigrants.
In contrast, none of these recent developments occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean. Although there has been strong economic growth, per capita income levels have remained low in most countries, and differences between bordering countries have often not been on a scale that stimulates significant migration of workers in search of employment. of better salaries. The exception to this is Barbados where GDP per capita (approximately US$15,000 in 2011) is significantly higher than in several neighboring countries, contributing significantly to migration flows to Barbados, especially from Barbados. Guyana ($US 2.3 thousand GDP/capita). With 10.9% of its population born abroad, Barbados is one of three countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with an immigrant population above the average for the region. The other two countries are Costa Rica (8.0%) and Belize (15%), which have experienced large movements of people from areas of civil conflict in the region.
(Graph 5: Foreign-born population as a percentage of total population, 2010)
The foreign-born population in all other countries is at relatively modest levels, with only Argentina, Panama, and the Dominican Republic having an immigrant population. more than 4% of its total population. Of these, only Argentina has shown recent levels of immigration at a scale that might suggest increases in its immigrant population in the short or medium term.