Factors Influencing the Optimal Reintegration of Skilled Migrant Returnees in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Some of the Nation’s consider traditionally, that the return migration has been positively viewed as a popular strategy. There is a question that it is not at satisfactory level of utilization of the experience and knowledge already gathered from their large working period in the employment in various countries with different industry segments. It is needed to find out the causes for not utilizing the knowledge and experience gained through their employment abroad, to achieve the maximum possible personal develop ment, after returning to the country and further to give the contribution to country’s industrial developments and take part in enhancing the economy of the country. For this study, details of 600 skilled migrant returnees of Gampaha district in Sri Lanka were collected through a random sample using an available population 8482 of skilled returnees in the district. It is required to understand that Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) have less accuracy on returnees as there is no compulsory entering of details by returnees at the time of arrivals at the airport or even after some specified period of time. Some personal factors of skilled migrants and some system factors of the relevant authorities in the country are considered to assess the effectiveness of the factors of reintegration, under the conceptual framework. A questionnaire was prepared for skilled migrant returnees, as respondents. Focus group discussion was carried out with the manager-reintegration, some experienced professionals in different professions with many years of overseas experience. Lack of interest, lesser initiatives and reluctant to change are the potential personal factors. Inadequacy of the implemented mechanism to gather returnees’ details at the airport and not centralizing the available opportunities in Sri Lanka, in view of deputing skilled returnees are the significant major system factors of the government organizations of the country. In this research study, some of the major personal factors of skilled migrants and some of the major system factors were considered to test their influences on reintegration as that most of the skilled migrant returnees have lack of interest to work in Sri Lanka after their arrival. Five folded reintegration approach which has to be executed by SLBFE, forwarded by the Ministry of Foreign Employment, as an action plan, and prepared with the support of International Labor Organization . First two aspects are considered by this research and balance three aspects are available to consider by the future researches.