Abstract

This study compares the average health and social welfare levels of adults born in Chile (n = 155) and immigrants of Colombian (n = 166), Peruvian (n = 154), and Venezuelan (n = 180) nationality. The results are in line with the "selective hypothesis of immigration," since higher levels of health (Minmigrants = 40.35; Mchilenos = 38.93; t [203,579] = 2,745, p <.01) and social welfare were found in immigrants (M = 88.62) than in Chileans (M = 85.42; t (190,778) =-3,197, p <.01). In general, this work shows the negative effect that the perception of discrimination has on health, and the positive effect of the socio-cultural variables of endo-group identity, cultural enrichment, and inter-group closeness on the social welfare of immigrants.