The Role of Migrants in Today’s Society
On the International Migrant Day, celebrated every 18th of December, it is crucial to reflect on the role that migrants play in today’s society. With over 280 million international migrants worldwide, driven by the pursuit of better economic opportunities and quality of life, either voluntarily or due to violence and insecurity, migration has become one of the most significant structural phenomena of the 21st century.
In Mexico, this topic has gained increasing relevance in public discourse as the country has transitioned from being a source and transit nation to a destination for both regular and irregular migrants. This shift has left Mexico unprepared, with migration trends indicating an upward trajectory.
Achieving Social and Economic Integration
Given the unchanging migration scenario, it is essential to consider how we can achieve social and economic integration of migrants, moving beyond humanitarian actions to harness migration as a catalyst for development.
The Mexico Entrepreneurship Radiography 2025: Migrants Edition, recently presented by the Mexican Entrepreneurs Association (Asem), provides crucial information to better understand the opportunity unfolding in Mexico.
Migrant Entrepreneurs: Long-Term Economic Contributors
The document challenges the belief that migrant entrepreneurs are informal economic participants or run survival businesses. Instead, the majority of migrant-led companies in Mexico demonstrate long operational life, structured business models, and formal market participation.
With an average of 8.5 years in operation, migrant-founded enterprises surpass the national average of business survival, proving that migrant entrepreneurs are stable economic agents contributing to job creation, income generation, and community links in 19 Mexican states.
Migrant entrepreneurs in Mexico exhibit higher-than-average formal education, technology adoption, and participation in knowledge-intensive sectors like digital services, advanced manufacturing, creative industries, and tech-based businesses.
Despite varying profiles, from unicorn startup founders like Kavak to local businesses, all migrant entrepreneurs contribute economically and socially through their ventures.
Institutional and Regulatory Barriers: The Primary Structural Obstacle
According to the radiography, the primary limitations faced by migrant entrepreneurs are institutional and regulatory, not entrepreneurial. Unclear legal frameworks, lengthy migration regularization processes, work permit restrictions, and limited access to financial instruments are systemic barriers to the formalization and growth of migrant-led enterprises.
Despite these barriers, migrant entrepreneurs’ ventures have persevered; however, they also show exclusion from the entrepreneurial ecosystem: 64% of migrant entrepreneurs haven’t received support from public or private institutions, and 84% are unaware of available business support programs.
Even among those seeking assistance, 54% were rejected, highlighting the systemic barriers to entering existing business ecosystems.
This disconnect from opportunities results in lost economic efficiency: capable entrepreneurs divert time and resources from innovation and growth towards compliance and managing uncertainty.
Addressing migration-related obstacles would yield immediate productivity gains, higher survival rates, and faster expansion without significant public expenditure.
The Economic Opportunity of Fostering Migrant Entrepreneurship
Mexico has a significant opportunity to position itself as a regional leader in inclusive migration policies geared towards growth by designing specialized support mechanisms for migrant entrepreneurs, including:
- Simplified processes related to business creation or investment, such as single-window models that review migration status, company registration, tax compliance, and digital integration.
- Business development programs with regulatory process accompaniment, benefiting migrant entrepreneurs and increasing overall productivity and competitiveness within the SME ecosystem.
Migrant entrepreneurs in Mexico represent a high-potential, resilient economic segment with constant opportunity-seeking. Their skills, entrepreneurial capacity, and international community connections are valuable assets for economic growth, innovation, and social cohesion. Therefore, it’s crucial to design solutions that reduce the informality, exclusion, and social costs of unmanaged migration.
Realizing the positive impact potential requires a shift in perspective: viewing migration as a social challenge rather than understanding its capacity to generate both economic and social (and even cultural) value.
With recognition and support from the entrepreneurial ecosystem, clear regulations, and inclusive business policies, migrant entrepreneurship can become a fundamental pillar of Mexico’s long-term economic competitiveness and resilience.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the significance of migrants in today’s society? Migrants play a crucial role, driven by the pursuit of better economic opportunities and quality of life. With over 280 million international migrants worldwide, their impact is significant in shaping the 21st-century landscape.
- What challenges do migrant entrepreneurs in Mexico face? Institutional and regulatory barriers, such as unclear legal frameworks, lengthy regularization processes, work permit restrictions, and limited access to financial instruments, hinder the formalization and growth of migrant-led enterprises.
- How can Mexico leverage migrant entrepreneurship? By implementing specialized support mechanisms, such as simplified business creation processes and business development programs with regulatory accompaniment, Mexico can foster migrant entrepreneurship and enhance overall productivity and competitiveness.
- What are the benefits of inclusive migration policies? Inclusive migration policies can position Mexico as a regional leader, driving economic growth, innovation, and social cohesion through the valuable contributions of migrant entrepreneurs.
