Navigating social reintegration: Experiences of Sri Lankan migrant workers returning from the Gulf

Abstract Since the economic boom in the Gulf region in the mid-1970s, it has been an attractive destination for Sri Lankan migrant workers seeking better opportunities. However, Gulf monarchies do not grant citizenship to these workers, making return and reintegration into Sri Lanka a crucial aspect of their migration journeys. While numerous studies have explored the economic aspects of the reintegration of returnees from the Gulf, there is a noticeable gap in the literature concerning the social aspects, particularly among returnees at the upper end of the skill spectrum. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the social dimensions of reintegration, which also impact economic reintegration, drawing on primary data from twenty-one in-depth interviews and a survey of 205 returnee migrants across the skill spectrum. The study's findings indicate that while most returnee high-skilled, skilled, and semi-skilled migrant workers find it relatively easy to readjust to life back in Sri Lanka with their family, friends, and relatives, some face hurdles in settling into new workplaces and reintegrating into the local work culture, which negatively affects their overall social reintegration experience. Furthermore, the study underscores the interconnectedness of economic and social reintegration, each influencing and sometimes exacerbating challenges in the other domain.