Population and Housing Census 2020 - IPUMS Harmonized Subset
Mexico, 2020
Get Microdata
Reference ID
MEX_2020_PHC_v01_M_v7.5_A_IPUMS
Producer(s)
Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática (INEGI), IPUMS
Created on
Sep 03, 2025
Last modified
Sep 03, 2025
Page views
2557
- Data files
- MEX2020_PHC-H-H.dat
- MEX2020_PHC-P-H.dat
Reason for migration (MX2020A_MIGREAS)
Data file: MEX2020_PHC-P-H.dat
Overview
Type:
Discrete
Decimal:
0
Start:
319
End:
322
Width:
4
Range:
-
Format:
Numeric
Questions and instructions
Literal question
27. Migration cause: Why did [the respondent] stop living in (municipality or country)?</p>
<div class="i1">Circle only one code or write the cause<br /><br />[] 1 To look for work<br />[] 2 Job change or offer<br />[] 3 Reunite with family<br />[] 4 Got married or in union<br />[] 5 To study<br />[] 6 Due to criminal insecurity or violence<br />[] 7 Due to natural disasters<br />[] 8 Deported (returned)<br />[] 9 Another cause (write the cause) ____</div>
<div class="i1">Circle only one code or write the cause<br /><br />[] 1 To look for work<br />[] 2 Job change or offer<br />[] 3 Reunite with family<br />[] 4 Got married or in union<br />[] 5 To study<br />[] 6 Due to criminal insecurity or violence<br />[] 7 Due to natural disasters<br />[] 8 Deported (returned)<br />[] 9 Another cause (write the cause) ____</div>
Categories
| Value | Category |
|---|---|
| 0101 | Searching for a job |
| 0102 | Change or job offer |
| 0103 | Layoff or termination of employment |
| 0104 | Distance to work |
| 0105 | Retirement or pension |
| 0109 | Other work reasons |
| 0201 | Housing cost (purchase or rent) |
| 0209 | Economic situation |
| 0301 | Meeting with the family |
| 0302 | Marriage or union of a family member |
| 0303 | Divorce or separation of a family member |
| 0304 | A relative died or been born |
| 0305 | Take care of a relative |
| 0306 | Employment status of a family member |
| 0307 | School situation of a relative |
| 0309 | Other family reasons |
| 0401 | Got married or joined |
| 0402 | Divorce or separation |
| 0403 | Healthcare |
| 0404 | Age reasons |
| 0405 | Improve quality of life |
| 0406 | Become independent |
| 0409 | Other personal reasons |
| 0501 | Study |
| 0502 | Finished studies |
| 0503 | Distance to school |
| 0509 | Other educational reasons |
| 0601 | Criminal insecurity or violence |
| 0602 | Domestic violence |
| 0603 | Political and government reasons |
| 0609 | Other social, environmental or service reasons |
| 0701 | Natural disasters |
| 0709 | Other disasters |
| 0801 | Faced deportation (returned) |
| 0809 | Legal and administrative reasons |
| 0901 | Acquisition, sale or construction of housing |
| 0902 | Improve housing conditions (non-economic) |
| 0903 | Term of contract and other reasons for rent |
| 0905 | Housing location |
| 0906 | Change of address without specific cause |
| 0909 | Other housing situations |
| 1001 | Evangelize and missionary motives |
| 1009 | Other religious reasons |
| 9998 | Unknown |
| 9999 | NIU (not in universe) |
Warning: these figures indicate the number of cases found in the data file. They cannot be interpreted as summary statistics of the population of interest.
Interviewer instructions
<span class="h2">15.3 Section III. People characteristics</span></p>
<p>In this section, information is obtained for each of the people living in the housing unit.</p>
<p>Before requesting data for each resident, copy the details from Section II. List people and general data, their names, gender, and age, and write them down in the spaces provided. Do not forget to correct the person number when using more than one questionnaire.</p>
<p>[Figure omitted: image with text]</p>
<p>For the respondent to know who to provide the information about, start with the sentence: "Now I'm going to ask you about...", and mention the name of the person you previously wrote down.</p>
<p>Apply questions 1 through 11 for all the people who are habitual residents, including children, as well as elderly people.</p>
<p><span class="em">27. Cause of migration</span>
<br />The question aims to identify the main reason that caused people aged 5 years and older to change their place of residence with regard to March 2015.</p>
<p>Read the question verbatim, listen to the answer, circle a code and, if necessary, write it down in the line.</p>
<p>If the respondent mentions more than one cause, ask which was the most important and circle the corresponding code.</p>
<p>With regard to the answer options you obtain, consider the following:</p>
<div class="i1">- Job search. This refers specifically to the fact that the person left in search of job opportunities in another municipality, state of the Mexican Republic, or another country.<br />- Job change or new job offers. You must select whether the change of residence was due to a job offer or a geographical relocation of your place of work.</div><span class="pg">[p. 360]</span></p>
<p>[Figure omitted: image with text]</p>
<div class="i1">- Criminal insecurity or violence. This refers to the fact that the person migrated because in the place where he/she lived (neighborhood, locality, city, municipality, township, state, or country) there were many assaults, kidnappings, extortions, homicides, shootings, either because he/she or a family member was a victim, or because he/she perceived it that way. If he/she no longer trusted the authorities where he/she lived, consider this option.<br />This option also includes migration originated because the person or someone in his or her family, friend or acquaintance was insulted, humiliated, beaten or threatened, as long as this was the main reason for the change of residence.<br />- When the answer is He/she was deported (returned), verify that the person's place of residence in March 2015 is the United States of America or another country; Otherwise, reread the question emphasizing the place where he/she lived 5 years ago.</div><p>You must record this option when the authorities of the country where the person resided returned him/her to Mexico. Also, mark this option when you get "He/she was captured by the migration officers" or "He/she was sent to Mexico." as an answer.</p>
<p>If there is a reason other than those listed, circle 9. Other cause and specify it in the line.</p>
<p>Remember that this question is applied to each person who is of 5 years of age or older who migrated with regard to March 2015. Therefore, it is likely that you will notice more than one migrant in a housing unit, and each of them may not necessarily share the same cause of migration.</p>
<p>Example:</p>
<div class="i1">Interviewer: Why did Luis stop living in Córdoba?<br /><br />Respondent: Because he was offered a job here in Monterrey where he gets paid more, but I (Carmen, wife of the Head of Household) and Nancy (daughter of the Head of Household) also came to be together.<br /><br />Interviewer: So, the reason for Luis' migration was because of a job offer. Respondent: Yes, that's right.<br /><br />Interviewer: Why did Nancy stop living in Córdoba? Respondent: Because we came to live here in Monterrey with his father.<br /><br />Interviewer: So, the main reason for Nancy's migration was to be reunited with her family.</div><span class="pg">[p. 361]</span><div class="i1">Respondent: Yes, that's right.</div><p>The cause of migration question is presented in the census manager as follows:</p>
<p>[Figure omitted: image with text]
<p>In this section, information is obtained for each of the people living in the housing unit.</p>
<p>Before requesting data for each resident, copy the details from Section II. List people and general data, their names, gender, and age, and write them down in the spaces provided. Do not forget to correct the person number when using more than one questionnaire.</p>
<p>[Figure omitted: image with text]</p>
<p>For the respondent to know who to provide the information about, start with the sentence: "Now I'm going to ask you about...", and mention the name of the person you previously wrote down.</p>
<p>Apply questions 1 through 11 for all the people who are habitual residents, including children, as well as elderly people.</p>
<p><span class="em">27. Cause of migration</span>
<br />The question aims to identify the main reason that caused people aged 5 years and older to change their place of residence with regard to March 2015.</p>
<p>Read the question verbatim, listen to the answer, circle a code and, if necessary, write it down in the line.</p>
<p>If the respondent mentions more than one cause, ask which was the most important and circle the corresponding code.</p>
<p>With regard to the answer options you obtain, consider the following:</p>
<div class="i1">- Job search. This refers specifically to the fact that the person left in search of job opportunities in another municipality, state of the Mexican Republic, or another country.<br />- Job change or new job offers. You must select whether the change of residence was due to a job offer or a geographical relocation of your place of work.</div><span class="pg">[p. 360]</span></p>
<p>[Figure omitted: image with text]</p>
<div class="i1">- Criminal insecurity or violence. This refers to the fact that the person migrated because in the place where he/she lived (neighborhood, locality, city, municipality, township, state, or country) there were many assaults, kidnappings, extortions, homicides, shootings, either because he/she or a family member was a victim, or because he/she perceived it that way. If he/she no longer trusted the authorities where he/she lived, consider this option.<br />This option also includes migration originated because the person or someone in his or her family, friend or acquaintance was insulted, humiliated, beaten or threatened, as long as this was the main reason for the change of residence.<br />- When the answer is He/she was deported (returned), verify that the person's place of residence in March 2015 is the United States of America or another country; Otherwise, reread the question emphasizing the place where he/she lived 5 years ago.</div><p>You must record this option when the authorities of the country where the person resided returned him/her to Mexico. Also, mark this option when you get "He/she was captured by the migration officers" or "He/she was sent to Mexico." as an answer.</p>
<p>If there is a reason other than those listed, circle 9. Other cause and specify it in the line.</p>
<p>Remember that this question is applied to each person who is of 5 years of age or older who migrated with regard to March 2015. Therefore, it is likely that you will notice more than one migrant in a housing unit, and each of them may not necessarily share the same cause of migration.</p>
<p>Example:</p>
<div class="i1">Interviewer: Why did Luis stop living in Córdoba?<br /><br />Respondent: Because he was offered a job here in Monterrey where he gets paid more, but I (Carmen, wife of the Head of Household) and Nancy (daughter of the Head of Household) also came to be together.<br /><br />Interviewer: So, the reason for Luis' migration was because of a job offer. Respondent: Yes, that's right.<br /><br />Interviewer: Why did Nancy stop living in Córdoba? Respondent: Because we came to live here in Monterrey with his father.<br /><br />Interviewer: So, the main reason for Nancy's migration was to be reunited with her family.</div><span class="pg">[p. 361]</span><div class="i1">Respondent: Yes, that's right.</div><p>The cause of migration question is presented in the census manager as follows:</p>
<p>[Figure omitted: image with text]
Description
Definition
This variable indicates the reason of migration.
Universe
Mexico 2020: Persons age 5+ who lived in a different municipality or country 5 years ago [discrepancies: none]
concept
Concept
| var_concept.title | Vocabulary |
|---|---|
| Migration: Global Variables -- PERSON | IPUMS |