Building Bridges: The Role of Human Capital and Social Capital in the Migration Experience of Mexicans in the Vancouver Metropolitan Area

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Migration is a process that begins with the mere thought of moving, but it continues long after the individual arrives in her or his new home. The process is constrained by certain factors such as capital, immigration policy, and the existence of kinship networks. Individuals who are able to overcome these constraints and decide to migrate, must overcome a new set of challenges upon arrival in the host county. These challenges include the need to adapt to a new labour market, use of a new language, and integration with the rest of society. Human and social capital are important tools that allow immigrants to successfully meet these challenges. Human and social capital play different roles in the migration process of these individuals. Human capital allows Mexican individuals to overcome the barriers to initial migration, but it does not ensure successful social or labour market integration. Social capital is a more effective tool in the resettlement process, and it also helps to strengthen transnational bonds. The Mexican community in the Vancouver CMA does not rely on a complex set of kinship networks. However, this study found that there is an ongoing process to create social capital. This process simultaneously encourages the formation of nationality-based social capital (i.e. bonding social capital) and bridging social capital. These types of capital are important because they help the community to overcome the challenges of integrating into the labour market as well as the larger society. Furthermore, the person-to-person contact between Mexicans and the rest of society fosters mutual understandi...