Navigating the Gendered Terrain of Migration: Variation in International Migrant Populations

Bhumika Piya, Vanderbilt University
Katharine M. Donato, Vanderbilt University

This paper navigates the gendered landscape of international migration by estimating and examining age-standardized gender ratio of foreign-born stocks in 56 countries since 1960 to gage the extent of feminization of international migration. We focus on major destinations in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and examine the gender composition of the three largest immigrant groups in these destinations to map the gendered circuits of migration. Findings reveal that although there is considerable variation across space and time, there is an upward trend, albeit modest, in women’s representation in the immigrant populations, lending some support to the feminization phenomenon. In addition, each region has complex and unique migration circuits, with some countries attracting more women while others attracting more men. The changing gender make-up of migrant populations has important implications for sending and receiving countries as well as for migrants themselves.