Transnational Practices of Return Migrants Prior to Their Return

Dora Gabriel , Hungarian Demographic Research Institute
Irén Gödri, Hungarian Demographic Research Institute
Veronika Horváth, Hungarian Demographic Research Institute

In recent years, return migration to Hungary has become an increasingly visible phenomenon. However, to this date, the issue has not been deeply researched yet. In this paper we analyze the transnational practices and ties of Hungarian return migrants. Return migration can be interpreted in various theoretical frameworks. The transnational approach states that social and economic ties are important in the process of returning to the country of origin (Cassarino 2004, de Haas – Fokkema 2011). As opposed to the neoclassical economics of migration and the theory of new economics of labor migration, the transnational approach regards return as a stage, and not the end of the process. Regular visits to the home country can increase the chance of return, and migrant remittances strengthen the ties among the stay-at-home family members and the migrant. Investigating the 2016 Hungarian Microcensus data, we study the transnational practices and transnational ties of Hungarian return migrants prior to their return, focusing on long-term migratory experience. Differences between returnees and migrants staying permanently abroad are also addressed. We analyzed the data with the help of descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Our analysis suggests that returnees with exclusively working activity abroad sent remittances to their family members more probably if they were men, above 50 years old at the time of return, skilled workers, and working in Austria. Labor market characteristics also play important role in transnational practices.

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 Presented in Session P3. Poster Session Migration, Economics, Environment, Methods, History and Policy