紀要論文

Reintegration of Sri Lankan Returnee Migrant Workers from South Korea

eng

00229741

https://doi.org/10.15002/00014804

法政大学経済学部学会

85

3

65

94

2018-03-23

Version of Record

渡部亮教授退職記念号

This paper attempts to shed light on reintegration of contractual laborers who are returning to Sri Lanka with new knowledge, skills and substantial monetary savings, after serving approximately 5 years in South Korea. The importance of foreign currency remittances sent by the migrant workers to Sri Lankan economy is shown at the beginning. Then, it proceeds to review various theories and empirical evidences that are used to explain the success or failure of reintegration process. South Korea became one of the top destinations for prospective Sri Lankan labour migrants due to several reasons such as; (1) low pre-departure costs, (2) no need to pay for agencies, (3) specific educational qualifications are not required, (4) except basic Korean language, other skills or professional tests are not required, (5) substantial high salaries (6) legally accepted working visa granted for five years. Therefore, in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively 7,406, 5,630 and 5,389 Sri Lankan workers had the opportunity to enter South Korea. Through interviews of selected 100 informants and by analyzing data available, paper proceeds to highlight characteristics of Sri Lankan returnee migrants from South Korea and analyze current level of reintegration of these returnees. The final section of the paper evaluate the migration experience based on the productivity of migrants after arriving home, rather than focusing on the experience from the host country. Contrary to structuralists understanding, only 32 percent of the respondents have focused in obtaining lands or building or renovating their houses, while 60 percent of the returnees claimed to be in business ventures in line with the original objectives of migration. The overall findings of this study challenge the popular understanding that unproductive investments and conspicuous consumption patterns breed the unequal relationship between the core (receiving countries) and the periphery (sending countries) forcing the returnees to re-migrate.

Article

AN00071028