Mexico

Immigration to Mexico has been important in shaping the country’s demographics. Since the early sixteenth century with the arrival of the Spanish, Mexico has received immigrants from Europe, Africa, the Americas (particularly the United States and Central America), and Asia. Today, millions of their descendants still live in Mexico and can be found working in different professions and industries.

During the colonial era, hundreds of thousands of individuals were taken to what would become Mexico; primarily from West Africa, and to a lesser extent, Southeast Asia, these enslaved individuals were not voluntary immigrants. In the 20th century, Mexico also became a country of refuge, in particular accepting individuals fleeing World War II in Europe, the Spanish Civil War and Guatemalan Civil War.