Globalization and Transnational Migration

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Abstract
This article utilizes the perspective of transnationalism to explain Chinese capitalist migration from the Asian Pacific to Canada in the context of globalization. It is argued that transnationalism, and particularly the process of transmigration, provides a new and useful way of theorizing the international migration of capitalists. The focus is on Chinese migrants who enter Canada under the auspices of the Canadian Business Immigration Program as investors and entrepreneurs. The article presents two levels of analysis in theorizing this transnational migration. At the macro level, this migration is explained in the context of global capitalism and capital accumulation. Statistical data are presented illustrating the participation of Chinese from Hong Kong and Taiwan in the programme. These data include a trend analysis of the number of transmigrants and the amount of capital brought to Canada. At the micro level, some transnational social fields are examined utilizing survey research data from interviews with 284 Chinese business migrants who have set up a residence and a business in the city of Vancouver in Canada. More specifically, preliminary evidence of transnational social fields is presented and includes: family and personal social fields, ethnic social fields and business fields.

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