How Successful are Highly Qualified Return Migrants in the Lithuanian Labour Market?
| Published date | 01 June 2016 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12224 |
| Date | 01 June 2016 |
| Author | Egidijus Barcevičius |
How Successful are Highly Qualified Return
Migrants in the Lithuanian Labour Market?
Egidijus Barcevi
cius*
ABSTRACT
This article analyses whether the human capital gained abroad helps returning migrants to
integrate into the Lithuanian labour market. The analysis focuses on highly qualified migrants,
defined narrowly as people with higher education who held qualified jobs when working
abroad. The article found that for this group of returnees professional aims were important
when taking a decision to return, together with other motives such as family reasons and
home-sickness. Most of the returnees were able to find employment and pursue their careers
without major difficulties, although a significant minority signalled an intention to emigrate
again. The article examines the key factors that sometimes helped and sometimes hindered
integration of the returnees and discusses the role of the public policy.
INTRODUCTION
During the last two decades Lithuania experienced a very high rate of labour emigration, which
peaked during the early years of EU membership (2004–2006) and once again during the recent
economic and financial crisis (2009–2011). This has had some far-reaching economic and social
effects, including a significant decrease of labour supply, brain waste, and further deterioration of
the demographic balance. Yet a significant number of migrants do return home, especially during
the period of improving economic outlook.
1
The relatively low barriers to mobility within the EU
not only encourage emigration but also facilitate return. During the last decade there has been
growing academic interest in the socio-economic integration of labour migrants returning to the
countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) (Mayr and Peri, 2009; Zaiceva and Zimmermann,
2012; Martin and Radu, 2012). However, the literature on returnees to Lithuania has been sparse
and the existing research has mostly analysed the general trends without much differentiation
between specific groups and experiences (Barcevi
cius,
Zvalionyt_
e et al., 2009;
Zvalionyt_
e and Jas-
tramskis, 2012; Sipavi
cien_
e, Gaidys and Dobrynina, 2009).
The labour market success of return migrants does vary a lot, with some finding well-paid jobs
and (or) creating their own businesses while others have to rely on their savings or social welfare
to pay their bills (Hazans and Philips, 2011; Martin and Radu, 2012; Raul, Masso, and M~
otsmees,
2014). The outcome is eventually determined by a complex mix of individual and structural factors,
including individual motivation, socio-economic characteristics, economic opportunities and the
value attributed to the migration experience by employers and society as a whole. This article
focuses on highly qualified returnees to Lithuania, defined as people possessing a higher education
degree who held qualified jobs when working abroad.
2
Within this group the article looks specifi-
cally at individuals returning to work in the private sector, returning academics, and young profes-
* Vilnius University, Lithuania
doi: 10.1111/imig.12224
©2015 The Author
International Migration ©2015 IOM
International Migration Vol. 54 (3) 2016
ISSN 0020-7985Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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