Research by CHOICES Team features in ESRC
New research by Govert E. Bijwaard, Christian Schluter and Jackline Wahba of the NORFACE Migration project team CHOICES sheds light on the nexus of unemployment and immigrants' return decision.
The research is based on comprehensive data covering all labour immigrants to the Netherlands in the period 1999-2007. The researchers show that unemployment clearly increases the probability of immigrants to return to their home countries. This finding holds true regardless of whether the immigrants are from 'old' or 'new' EU member states, from more developed countries, or from less developed countries.
The researchers conclude that their findings "challenge the perception that labour immigrants are attracted by the generosity of the welfare state in the Netherlands since almost half of recent labour immigrants leave if they experience unemployment".
For more information visit:
* ESRC - Impacts & Findings
* CPC Briefing Paper 1: Does unemployment cause return migration?
* NORFACE Discussion Paper 2011-7: The Impact of Labour Market Dynamics on the Return-Migration of Immigrants
