Migration and labour market outcomes through a multi-sited lens: South American migrants in Argentina and Spain

Abstract Research on the socioeconomic outcomes of migrants and their children in destination societies has long been a central focus for sociologists and economists worldwide. However, this body of work is shaped by two dominant approaches. First, most studies focus on South-North migration; second, they often compare migrants with natives in destination countries. Building on the growing multi-sited and dissimilation approaches, this study uses large-scale harmonized census microdata to enhance our understanding of migration outcomes by comparing migrants across both southern and northern destinations, as well as comparing migrants to natives in their countries of origin. The study examines the labour market outcomes of two South American migrant groups—Bolivian and Peruvian—who have emigrated to two key destinations: Argentina and Spain. Three key takeaways emerge. First, migration can reshape women’s relationship to the labour market. Second, not all migration results in an occupational status downgrade, contrary to expectations from classic assimilation theories. Third, although South–North moves may involve greater legal and cultural challenges, they do not necessarily entail greater labour market disadvantages or lower returns to education compared to South–South moves.