Who is Most Likely to Remigrate? Evidence from Kosovo’s Returned Migrants
Purpose: Many of the retuned migrants, mainly due to economic reasons, fail to reintegrate in the Kosovar society. This paper investigates determinants of remigration for those returned either voluntary or forcibly before 2014, conditional on having lived for at least one year in the host country. Design/Methodology/Approach: The determinants of returnees' remigration are estimated using a unique survey, which draws a sample of 144 respondents. A probit econometric regression method and a linear probability model are employed to estimate factors affecting returnees' propensity to leave the country again. Findings: We find that many of the returnees live in worse conditions compare to pre-migration. Results indicate that, as in the first migration, people leave the country mainly for economic reasons. Ethnic Albanians, vulnerable groups and those people having received a foreign schooling have higher propensity of remigrating. Owning land exerts an opposite impact, while having a job appears to have no significance in the decision to leave the country. Practical Implications: The study offers insights that assist policymakers to understand the complexity of the reintegration process. It also offers an analysis of what is essential for the returnees in order not to consider remigration. Originality/Value: Although there are many studies on migration and return migration determinants, there is little known about returnees’ reintegration. We investigate why Kosovo’s returned migrants are interested in leaving again and the main determinants for this.