Much of the regional and international migration is illegal. For unskilled workers, including many women and adolescents, few legal migration opportunities exist, forcing them to explore illicit means of transportation.
Family reunification is also being conducted
outside the law, with undocumented immigrants in destination
countries lacking legal means to bring their spouse and children into
their country of illegal residence.
Women in Migration
Women's participation in migration is increasing. A recent
survey of individuals in the process of migration in Central American
countries reported female participation ranging from 10% in Guatemala
to 43% in the Dominican Republic.
This so called "feminization of
migration" includes young single women and women with primary
earning responsibility. Motives include reunification with family
members abroad and the search for job opportunities.
More so than any other country within the region, the
Dominican Republic has a unique and longstanding history of female
migration. Academics have identified three significant period of
female migration from the Dominican Republic since the 1960s:
. Between 1961 and 1973, women participating in
migration toward the United States, principally motivated
by domestic political strife.
. From 1974 to 1984, women began to move to other
destinations.
. Since 1985, female migration has been directed toward
Europe, provoked by economic crisis and decreased
opportunities to migrate to the United States due to
changes in immigration policy and legislation. Spain has
been the most frequent destination.
According to various studies, women account for approximately 60%
of the migration flow from the Dominican Republic.
Children in Migration
A recent study on child migrants in the countries of Central
America, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, the United States and
Canada, concluded that the number of unaccompanied children in the
migration process is increasing, with a growing percentage of girl
children. While most of these movements are under informal family
unification programs, many are adolescents moving independently.