Return Migration and the Problem of Reintegration

Abstract

This article proposes a programme approach for achieving the social and economic reintegration of all categories of return migrants.As former exiles who have returned to their country of origin are no longer refugees, some government agencies need to organize the reception of, and provide assistance to, returnees. But without long-term planning, ad hoc committees are unable to be effective facilitators of the reintegration process.The article suggests a list of major elements necessary for an effective reintegration programme, and argues that governments should focus on the institutional mechanism of programme management, including the creation of a responsible agency or agencies. The management structure should be based in the National Planning Ministry of government.Establishment of an effective mechanism would be likely to inspire donor confidence; and "homecoming" would no longer be a nightmare for potential returnees trying to reintegrate.

Deportation Stigma and Re-migration

“…Among deportation scholars it has become almost axiomatic that many, if not most, of those who are forcibly expelled from the country to which they have migrated will not settle in the country to which they have been returned but will leave again (Schuster and Majidi 2013;Alpes 2012;Arowolo 2000;Brotherton and Barrios 2009;Dumon 1986;Hagan, Eschbach, and Rodriguez 2008;Saito and Hunte 2007;Zilberg 2007). In a recent article (Schuster and Majidi 2013), we examined some of the reasons why this should be so.…”

What happens post-deportation? The experience of deported Afghans

“…However, in spite of some excellent studies, including by Brotherton (2008), Brotherton and Barrios (2009), the Edmund Rice Centre (2006), Khosravi (2009), and Peutz (2006Peutz ( , 2010, relatively little is known about what happens to people in the months and years that follow deportation (Collyer 2012), that is, whether once removed they stay away, or whether other potential migrants are discouraged from migration. Whereas there is an established and expanding body of literature on what happens to people who decide to return to their countries of birth or previous residence (Dumon 1986;Hammond 1999;Arowolo 2000;Cassarino 2004;Hughes 2011) and on those returned as part of an INGO sponsored programme (Marsden 1999;Black, Collyer, and Somerville 2011), the work on those returned against their will is more limited, though growing (Ruben, Van Houte and Davids 2009). Given the claims made by states about the centrality of deportation to migration controls and to 'maintaining the integrity of the asylum system' (NAO 2005: 10), and the recommendation in the EU Returns Directive that there should be post-deportation monitoring, this lack of emphasis on what happens after forced return may seem surprising.…”

Employment Rates of Return Migrants: The Finnish Case

“…Similar to the way of treating employed immigrants in a host country as successfully integrated (Arowolo, 2000;OECD, 2001), we here regard person who are employed in the home country subsequent to return migration as successfully reintegrated. Of specific interest is the question of how the employment rates interrelate with migration duration and duration subsequent to return migration.…”