Return Migration in the Era of Global Uncertainty: Revisiting Kerala’s Nitaqat Repatriation as a Policy Framework for Emerging Repatriation Threats.

Abstract

Return migration has emerged as a growing socio-economic challenge in Kerala, particularly following the mass repatriation of workers due to Saudi Arabia’s Nitaqat policy in 2012. This paper presents a timely analysis based on primary survey data of 300 return migrants in Kozhikode. Findings reveal sharp drops in income and savings post-return, limited access to state schemes, and a mismatch between migrant profiles and available policy support. The paper underscores the urgency of localized, data-driven reintegration frameworks for managing future waves of return migration.