Subjective Well-Being among Communities Left Behind by International Migrants

This article assesses the impact of international migration on the subjective well-being of communities of origin in Mexico. Using a representative national survey and an empirical strategy with instrumental variables, we find that higher migratory intensity, at the municipal level, increases life satisfaction among men and women. There is a negative effect on the emotional states of women, but an improvement in emotional states of men. Without controlling for schooling, a variable affected by international migration, men have a lower satisfaction with their perspective of the future. Overall, the evidence in Mexico shows that the effects of international migration in the communities of origin are complex and with differential effects based on gender.