Determinantes de la migración ecuatoriana hacia la Unión Europea (2010–2022)

Resumen

Ecuadorian migration to the European Union (EU) has grown exponentially. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors driving Ecuadorian migration to the EU during the 2010–2022 period. A static panel data gravity model with random effects was applied, initially covering five destination countries (Spain, Italy, Germany, France, and the Netherlands), later expanded to ten. Logarithmic transformations and Driscoll-Kraay standard errors were used to strengthen statistical inferences. The results show that the GDP per capita of Ecuador and the host country has a positive effect on migration, while geographic distance reduces it. Factors such as a common language and birth rate in the destination country encourage migration, whereas higher education levels in Ecuador tend to limit it. The study concludes that Ecuadorian migration flows respond to economic, cultural, and sociodemographic factors, with significant implications for both the country of origin and the European destinations.