Migrant labour insertion in agrarian territories: the case of the el Maule region, Chile

Abstract

This article addresses the job-placement of migrant labour in the Chilean agricultural territory, based on the El Maule Region case. First, we elaborated a literature review for the topic on a Latin American scale. Then, we explored the motivations of migrants for choosing an agricultural territory and their job-placement strategies in an area with a strong rural identity and largely based on a silvo-agricultural production. We drew on this to suggest
some preliminary reflections about the job career in the silvo-agricultural sector. We used mixed methods, focusing on qualitative techniques. Fifty-seven interviews were conducted with migrants in the El Maule Region. The results
showed that the urban-rural features of this territory and the chance to get access to a labour market plenty of job openings -although precarious- are the main drivers to choose the Maule Region. Moreover, the urban habitat patterns and the job-placement largely based on the agricultural area –mainly Haitiansexpand the productive dynamic of the agricultural territories.