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How many Americans and Canadians really immigrate to Mexico?

There is an interesting report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development which shows the inflows of foreign population by nationality into Mexico in 2011, the last year available. Apparently, Mexico is not a very popular destination for immigrants.

21,464 - Total foreign immigrants into Mexico in 2011

4,260 - Total from the United States

849 - Total from Canada

Just for comparison, in 2011 the United States accepted 1,062,040 persons as legal permanent residents. The data set does not list the outflows of foreign population by nationality from Mexico. In fact, it does not list the immigration outflows at all.

The data does list the total foreign-born population residing in Mexico in 2009, the last year available:

262,671 - Total foreign born population in Mexico in 2009

59,996 - Total born in the United States

10,869 - Total born in Canada

So, let's do some noodling on the numbers. If every year 4,260 US born persons immigrate to Mexico, and there are a total of 59,996 US born persons living in Mexico, then that represents a 14-year supply of US immigrants living in Mexico [59,996/4,260 = 14]. If the average American retiree retires at age 65, and the average life expectancy in the US is around 80 years, then retirees live about 15 years after they retire. That means the highest number of retired and still living Americans we would expect to see in Mexico is around 60,000. This is precisely what Mexico counts as Americans living in Mexico. Imagine that!

So where are the 1 million retired Americans that all the real estate promoters say are living in Mexico?

No where to be seen.

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There is an interesting report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development which shows the inflows of foreign population by nationality into Mexico in 2011, the last year available. Apparently, Mexico is not a very popular destination for immigrants.

21,464 - Total foreign immigrants into Mexico in 2011

4,260 - Total from the United States

849 - Total from Canada

Just for comparison, in 2011 the United States accepted 1,062,040 persons as legal permanent residents. The data set does not list the outflows of foreign population by nationality from Mexico. In fact, it does not list the immigration outflows at all.

The data does list the total foreign-born population residing in Mexico in 2009, the last year available:

262,671 - Total foreign born population in Mexico in 2009

59,996 - Total born in the United States

10,869 - Total born in Canada

So, let's do some noodling on the numbers. If every year 4,260 US born persons immigrate to Mexico, and there are a total of 59,996 US born persons living in Mexico, then that represents a 14-year supply of US immigrants living in Mexico [59,996/4,260 = 14]. If the average American retiree retires at age 65, and the average life expectancy in the US is around 80 years, then retirees live about 15 years after they retire. That means the highest number of retired and still living Americans we would expect to see in Mexico is around 60,000. This is precisely what Mexico counts as Americans living in Mexico. Imagine that!

So where are the 1 million retired Americans that all the real estate promoters say are living in Mexico?

No where to be seen.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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