About the Migration Governance Indicators
About the Migration Governance Indicators
Migrants' rights
Migrants' rights
Indicators in this domain assess the extent to which migrants have the same status as citizens in terms of access to basic social services such as health, education, and social security. It also describes the rights of migrants to family reunification, to work, and to residency and citizenship. The ratification of the main international conventions is also included within this domain.
Indicators in this category look at the extent to which migrants have access to certain social services such as health, education and social security. They also examine measures to ensure integration and access to work.
Whole of government approach
Whole of government approach
Indicators in this domain assess countries’ institutional, legal, and regulatory frameworks related to migration policies. Domain 2 also reviews the existence of national migration strategies that are in-line with development, as well as institutional transparency and coherence in relation to migration management. This domain also investigates the extent to which governments collect and use migration data.
Indicators in this category assess the institutional frameworks of cities for migration. This area also examines the existence of migration strategies consistent with development objectives, as well as institutional transparency and coherence in migration management.
Partnerships
Partnerships
This domain focuses on countries’ efforts to cooperate on migration-related issues with other states and with relevant non-governmental actors, including civil society organizations and the private sector. Cooperation can lead to improvements in governance by aligning and raising standards, increasing dialogue and providing structures to overcome challenges.
Indicators in this category focus on cities’ efforts to cooperate on migration issues with the national government as well as other cities and relevant non-governmental actors, including civil society organizations and the private sector.
Well-being of migrants
Well-being of migrants
This domain includes indicators on countries’ policies for managing the socioeconomic well-being of migrants, through aspects such as the recognition of migrants’ educational and professional qualifications, provisions regulating student migration and the existence of bilateral labour agreements between countries. Indicators equally focus on policies and strategies related to diaspora engagement and migrant remittances.
Indicators in this category assess cities’ initiatives in terms of international student mobility, access to the labour market and decent working conditions for migrant workers. Aspects related to diaspora engagement and migrant remittances are also included in this domain.
Mobility dimensions of crises
Mobility dimensions of crises
This domain studies the type and level of preparedness of countries when they are faced with mobility dimensions of crises, linked to either disasters, the environment and/or conflict. The questions are used to identify the processes in place for nationals and non-nationals both during and after disasters, including whether humanitarian assistance is equally available to migrants as it is to citizens.
Indicators in this category examine the type and level of readiness of cities to deal with aspects of mobility crises. The questions focus on the processes in place for citizens and non-citizens both during and after disasters, especially if humanitarian assistance is available for migrants and citizens.
Safe, orderly and regular migration
Safe, orderly and regular migration
This domain analyses countries’ approach to migration management in terms of border control and enforcement policies, admission criteria for migrants, preparedness and resilience in the case of significant and unexpected migration flows, as well as the fight against trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants. It also assesses efforts and incentives to help integrate returning citizens.
Indicators in this category look at the cities’ approaches to migrant safety as well as return and reintegration policies and the fight against trafficking in persons.
Key findings
Introduction
This country Profile describes examples of well-developed areas of the Mexico governance structures and areas with potential for further development, as evaluated through the six domains of the Migration Governance Indicators (MGI). These address migrants’ rights, a “whole-of-government” approach, partnerships, socioeconomic well-being of migrants, the mobility dimensions of crises, and safe and orderly migration.
Click the icons on the wheel to explore the key findings.
The Migration Governance Indicators (MGI) initiative is a policy-benchmarking programme led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and implemented with research and analysis from the Economist Impact. Funding is provided by IOM Member States.
Key findings
Migrants' rights
Migration Governance: examples of well-developed areas
- The Migration Law (2011) establishes the right to health care for the migrant population (regular and irregular).
- All people in Mexico, including migrants regardless of their migratory status, can access basic education (primary and secondary).
- Foreign nationals with a permanent or temporary resident’s permit have the same rights to self-employment as nationals.
- Family reunification is possible for foreign nationals who are established as legal temporary or permanent residents in Mexico and for refugees.
- Mexico has policies and strategies to combat hate crimes, violence, xenophobia and discrimination against migrants.
Areas with potential for further development
- Private sector employment of migrants is restricted under the Federal Labour Law (1970) which establishes that the workforce in any company must be at least 90 per cent Mexican.
Key findings
Whole of government approach
Migration Governance: examples of well-developed areas
- The Interior Secretariat’s Migration Policy Advisory Council is one of Mexico’s numerous national inter-secretariat coordination mechanisms on migration.
- The national migration strategy is set out in the Interior Secretariat’s Governance Sector Programme 2020–2024, which is itself derived from the National Development Plan 2019–2024.
- The National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics regularly collects and publishes Migration data by age cohort and sex, among others.
- In 2022, the information system “For your rights”, which contains a registry of information on children and adolescents on the move as identified by the National Migration Institute, was launched.
Areas with potential for further development
- Mexico has a clear and transparent set of rules and regulations on migration, but the majority are only available in the Spanish language.
Key findings
Partnerships
Migration Governance: examples of well-developed areas
- Mexico participates in bilateral consultations on migration, mainly with Canada, Guatemala and the United States.
- The Unit for Migration Policy, Registration and Identification of Persons organizes regional forums on human mobility to train civil servants at all three levels of government and provide technical assistance to local authorities to design public policies.
- Mexico involves civil society organizations (CSOs) in setting the agenda and responding to migration-related issues, with formal cooperation mechanisms between migration authorities and CSOs.
- The National Migration Institute and the National Institute for Women signed a coordination agreement in 2022 to strengthen inter-institutional activities aimed at promoting, protecting and respecting the human rights of national and foreign women and girls on the move.
- Migration authorities in Mexico engage the private sector and social partners in setting the migration-related agenda and implementing activities.
Areas with potential for further development
- Mexico is not a party to any regional labour mobility agreements up to date.
Key findings
Well-being of migrants
Migration Governance: examples of well-developed areas
- The National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics of Mexico collects labour market data disaggregated by migration status and sex through the National Occupation and Employment Survey.
- The labour skills certification initiative “Mexico recognizes your experience” (2021) seeks to evaluate and certify the skills of returnees to the country, with a view to facilitating their employment.
- Mexico has programmes to promote the financial inclusion of migrants and their families.
Areas with potential for further development
- Mexico has no programmes to manage labour immigration or to promote the labour integration of migrants.
- Although Mexico allows equal access to university education for all international students, the specifications of individual academic programmes vary and there are usually higher tuition fees for foreign students.
Key findings
Mobility dimensions of crises
Migration Governance: examples of well-developed areas
- The Governance Sectoral Programme 2020–2024 and the National Human Rights Programme 2020–2024’s cover internal forced displacement as part of their specific strategies and actions goals.
- Mexico has adopted measures to help citizens living abroad in times of crisis.
- The National Disaster Prevention Centre informs the population via television, radio and the internet about the potential risks of and developments in crises or disaster situations.
Areas with potential for further development
- Mexico does not have a specific strategy comprising specific measures for assistance to migrants before, during and after a crisis.
- No strategies exist to address migration related to environmental degradation and the adverse effects of climate change.
- Mexico still has no contingency plans for managing large-scale population movements in crisis situations.
Key findings
Safe, orderly and regular migration
Migration Governance: examples of well-developed areas
- The National Migration Institute and the National Human Rights Commission have ongoing training programmes on various human rights and migration issues for the general public and civil servants.
- The Inter-institutional Strategy for the Integrated Management of Repatriated and Returning Mexican Families (2021) promotes and ensures migrants’ access to government services and programmes.
- The Integrated Programme to Prevent, Address, Punish and Eradicate Violence against Women 2021–2024 recognizes migrant women, girls and adolescents as a population group with a higher degree of vulnerability.
- Mexico has a system for cooperation with other countries to trace and identify missing migrants on its national territory.
Areas with potential for further development
- Approval of the National Programme against Trafficking in Persons had remained pending since 2019, leaving the country without a unified public policy aimed at combating this scourge.
