Reintegration of Return Migrants and State Responses: A Case Study of Kerala

By : S. Irudaya Rajan , C S Akhil

Page No: 136-143

Abstract
Countries of Origins are witnessing increasing rate of return migration of temporary labour migrants in the past decade. This paper analyses the process of reintegration of return migrants in Indian context by examining Kerala as a case study and portrays the existing state responses towards return migrants. Kerala is selected because of the rich tradition of international labour migration and the existence of a state-run institutional mechanism to manage migration. The study uses Kerala Migration Survey to create a profile of the return migrants to the state. The reintegration process has been analysed using semi-structured interviews with government officials and returnees followed by the analysis of policy documents. The basic profiling of return migrant clearly shows that majority of them are unskilled and semi-skilled workers returning due to loss of job because of the ongoing recession and nationalisation policies in the Gulf countries. The poor savings rate of return migrants and lack of employment opportunities in the state show that reintegration of return migrants would not happen without the support of the state. Even though Kerala has a well-developed migration management system compared to other Indian states, it is not enough to meet the demands of return migrants. The paper urges national government to create a comprehensive framework for return migrants by collaborating with state governments, which involves effective management of the skills earned by migrants in the host country and long-term financial assistance for reintegration.

Authors :
S. Irudaya Rajan : Professor, Centre for Development Studies Thiruvananthapuram.
C S Akhil : Doctoral Scholar, Centre for Development Studies Thiruvananthapuram
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/PROD.2019.60.02.3