Unequal Origins to Unequal Destinations: Trends and Characteristics of Migrants’ Social and Economic Inclusion in South America

This chapter provides an overview of the trends and characteristics of recent migration flows in South America. Specifically, it examines the size of the migrant population, its sociodemographic profile, and selected indicators of social and economic inclusion in six countries: Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay. These countries have recently witnessed rising levels of intraregional migration, diversification in the origins and motivations of flows, and/or have suddenly become immigration and transit countries. These transformations have added a layer of complexity to our understanding of the historic—and persistent—socioeconomic inequalities that characterise the region, posing additional challenges to migrants’ social and economic inclusion. The analysis is based on national household surveys and census data available before the COVID-19 pandemic.