| Abstract [eng] |
Migration literature tends to focus on individual level factors, such as human capital acquired abroad, to explain the success of the integration of returnees while neglecting the importance of the environment in their home country. The dissertation offers a theoretical framework, which involves the factors of the home country’s labour market in explaining the integration of return migrants, while at the same time taking into account changes in the human capital of returnees while they were abroad. The empirical findings of the dissertation are based on three representative surveys carried out in late 2013 among three different audiences in Lithuania: 1) adult population (N=1930); 2) employers (N=1000), and 3) returnees (N=804). The research revealed that almost all return migrants have acquired valuable knowledge and skills while abroad that they expect to use in advancing their careers in Lithuania. Yet most of them underutilise their foreign experience after return. Moreover, they feel that their new knowledge and skills are undervalued in Lithuania. Indeed, the research proved that rather unfavourable attitude towards return migrants and their migration experience prevails in Lithuanian society and among employers. Returnee unfriendly environment leads not only to the loss of potential benefits of human capital but also to the unsuccessful reintegration of returnees and, eventually, to their repeat migration. Therefore, migration policies that aim at encouraging return migration, instead of focusing on the migrants themselves and their migration decisions (as usually is the case), should be redesigned to make home countries more returnee friendly. |
