Push and pull factors in return migration intentions among first‐generation Croatian migrants in Germany and Ireland

Abstract Why are some migrants more willing to move back to their homeland than others? Using a mixed methods approach, this article sheds light on the factors contributing to the desire for return migration among first‐generation Croatian migrants ( N = 499). In particular, the current study focuses on the role that migrants' trust in state institutions in both their homeland and current countries of residence plays in their desire to return to the homeland. Quantitative analyses reveal that factors of institutional trust strongly correlate with migrants' willingness to return to Croatia, as do short‐term visits and (dis)satisfaction with their current lives, particularly for those who left Croatia for personal reasons instead of institutional ones. The qualitative results suggest that the pull factors of return migration tend to be personal, while the push factors are largely institutional. In addition, the idea of a “future” for both the returnees (e.g. financial stability) and the country (e.g. political conditions) is the key to migrants' decision‐making about returning.