Latin Americans working in the US are sending back more money to their families and investing increasing amounts in homes and small businesses, according to a study commissioned by the Inter-American Development Bank.

The study - based on more than 2,500 telephone interviews with migrants and their families in nine countries - found that the average monthly amount sent has risen from $240 to $300 in the past two years. As many as one-third of respondents said they were seeking to invest money, mainly in real estate, up from 5 per cent when a similar study was conducted five years ago.