Migration and Education Choices: How Low‐Skilled Migration Shapes the Educational Attainment of Mexican Youth

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This paper examines the impact of low‐skilled migration on educational attainment in developing countries, specifically focusing on Mexico. While previous research has extensively studied brain drain (the migration of high‐skilled workers to developed countries), this study delves into the lesser‐discussed phenomenon of ‘brawn drain’, which involves the migration of low‐skilled workers to developed nations. The paper analyses data from the Mesoamerican Migration Project to understand how the presence of low‐skilled migrant elders (household members aged 26 or older) affects the educational decisions of young individuals (ages 18–25) in high‐migration communities. The results reveal a strong negative impact of family‐level exposure to low‐skilled US migrants on Mexican youth, discouraging them from pursuing further education. The study explores other factors, such as community‐level influences and the presence of high‐skilled individuals as role models, on educational outcomes. Overall, the paper contributes valuable insights to the understanding of how low‐skilled migration affects educational attainment in developing countries like Mexico.