“Indian skilled migration to Germany:
experiences in the host country and home country engagement”
Dr. Gabriela Tejada
Cooperation and Development Center Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Migration from India to Germany: Immigration, work, life, diaspora engagement
Federal Office for Migration and Refugees Nuremberg
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Research Project
“Migration, Scientific Diasporas and Development:
Impact of Skilled Return Migration on Development in India” Conducted between January 2011 – March 2013
Partner institutions:
₋ Cooperation & Development Center (CODEV) at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
₋ International Labour Office (ILO), Geneva
₋ International Migration & Diasporas Studies Project of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi
₋ Institute of Development Studies Kolkata (IDSK), Kolkata
Funding agency:
₋ Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS)
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Objectives
• Taking the example of Indian skilled migration, the project aimed at:
• advancing empirical knowledge on skilled return migration and its impact on development (country of origin)
• exploring strategies for leveraging the potential of skilled migrants abroad (diaspora) (countries of destination)
Two fold approach: country of origin & countries of destination in one single study
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Why India?
• High quality of human resources and source of skilled personnel
• Interest of Indian government to capitalize on resources of overseas Indians
• Recognised as a country benefitting from positive effects of skilled migration; but lacking a
comprehensive understanding of the determinants of skills transfer
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Research focus and methods
Four destination countries in Europe
Germany, France, Switzerland and The Netherlands
Six fieldwork locations in India
Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, NCR, Mumbai and Pune
Fieldwork between 2011 and 2012 in India and Europe
Methods:
• 2 complementary quantitative surveys :
one for skilled Indians in Europe (878 persons)
one for skilled Indians in India (527 returnees and 146 non-migrants – control group)
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Main research questions
For the European part:
• What are the migration motives of skilled Indians in Europe?
• What are their employment / study situation and living experiences there?
• In what ways are they engaged in development activities in India through planned return, remittances and investments, knowledge and skills transfer and social impact?
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Main research questions
For the Indian part:
• What are the determinants behind return of skilled Indians?
• What is their current employment situation in India?
• How has their international exposure affected them professionally, economically and socially?
• To what extent do they influence development in India through investments, knowledge and skills transfer and social impact upon return?
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European survey: Diaspora
Experiences in Germany, development aspirations
and return plans
Experiences in host countries
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Development aspirations
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« Do you think your present activity could have an impact
on socio-economic development of India ? »
Main observations:
• 70 % say their present activity could have an impact on socio economic development of India
• Skilled Indians in Germany link their development aspirations to their return plans
• They believe Indian society can benefit from their expertise and accumulated knowledge and technical skills acquired abroad
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« Do you think your present activity could have an impact
on socio-economic development of India ? »
Activity profile of skilled Indians and aspirations towards home country development
Activity Yes (%) No (%) Total (persons in sample) Employed 65.2 34.8 221 In training / education* 75.1 24.9 413 Other** 55.4 44.6 56 Total 70.3 29.7 690 Categories of employment No answer No (%) Yes (%) Total nr of respondents MNC originating elsewhere 11.9 40.48 47.62 42 MNC originating from NL/CH/FR/DE 6.49 38.96 54.55 77 MNC originating from India 0 10 90 10 Academic and research 4.41 25 70.59 68 I am self-employed. 23.81 23.81 52.38 21 Local company / institution 9.68 32.26 58.06 31 Total 21.5 23.32 55.18 249
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Linking development aspirations
to diaspora engagement and return
Testimonies from skilled Indians in Germany
« I can influence India from here in the form of direct contribution through scientific knowledge and technology transfer and by helping to educate and train young professionals (Phd student)»
« If I go back and I do this research in India, it could potentially help more students in my field to have a good exposure. Especially those brilliant ones who cannot afford to go out (Postdoctoral researcher)»
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Return plans
Skilled Indians’ perceptions of opportunities in the home country
Ranking
Perceptions about various factor prevailing in India ( in % )
Jobs Education Business Social security Political situation Very good 18.4 12.1 19.7 3.1 1.6 Good 42.8 44.9 49.0 15.2 10.0 Neither good nor bad 27.1 30.4 24.2 31.5 29.8 Bad 8.5 8.9 5.1 34.2 31.7 Very bad 3.1 3.7 1.8 16.0 26.8 Total number of respondents 678 675 660 676 675
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Indian survey: Returnees
Determinants of return to India and development
contributions
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Determinants of return to India
Migration from India to Germany
In destination countries:
• Retention of skilled Indians is not based only on economic opportunities
• Social life considerations weigh strongly in their decision of their place to live
• Recession and rigid migration policies In India:
• Socioeconomic opportunities and loyalty to India attract Indians back
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Determinants of development contributions
« Have you ever thought of taking part in the development of
India? »
• The individual profile of migrants, their length of stay abroad and their
social and professional position determine their motivations to utilize their knowledge and skills gained abroad in benefit of India.
• Scientists and researchers feel more strongly about contributing
• Socially disadvantaged people like women, dalits and Muslims feel more strongly about contributing
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Determinants of personal development
« In what way has your position in the society been
affected by your overseas exposure?»
• 71% of returnees think their position in the society has been positively affected
• A larger proportion of skilled Indians with disadvantaged social identities:
rural background
women
muslims
as well as those in research and academia
perceive positive personal development through their overseas exposure, and believe to be of significant influence in their community
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Deployment of accumulated skills
Value of overseas experience to current occupation in India (n=527)
377; 72% 70; 13%
39; 7% 3; 1%
8; 1% 5; 1% 25; 5%
Knowledge and skills gained overseas
Hands on experience abroad Network established overseas Capital accumulated overseas Foreign qualification
Others No Answer
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Deployment of accumulated skills
Returnees’ use of skills, experience and knowledge grained overseas
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Research and Development Teaching and Training Development of work culture and… Better service to the organisation
Consultancy services Guiding and mentoring Others No Answer
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Obstacles within the local system
in the application of skills gained abroad
• Returnees are able to transfer technical and specialized expertise acquired
abroad, but find difficult to transfer soft skills, such as managerial expertise and professional culture.
• Obstacles within the local system:
• difference in work culture
• resistance to change
• lengthy bureaucratic process
• lack of a suitable infrastructure
“Adjusting to the Indian pace and the Indian style of working has been a major challenge” (Indian returnee)
• Despite hurdles, most returnees are optimistic about their prospects and do not feel like reversing their decision to return.
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Conclusions and policy implications (1/2)
• Indian students and researchers in Germany link their development aspirations to their return plans.
Return intentions of skilled Indians and their real move may increase if they perceive an enabling environment in India.
• While they believe Indian society can benefit from their expertise, they face
several obstacles within the local system upon return.
Changes in the local work culture and structures, welcoming culture, enabling environments and policies are necessary to facilitate knowledge transfer.
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Conclusions and policy implications (2/2)
• Disadvantaged and minority groups express a higher commitment to India’s development.
Knowledge transfer by these people should be promoted since it would directly affect development among most disadvantaged communities in India.
Their high representation in professional possitions in India and among granted students in destination countries (Germany) needs to be
Contact information
Dr. Gabriela Tejada - gabriela.tejada@epfl.ch Research Leader Scientific Diasporas
More information about the project and outputs: http://cooperation.epfl.ch/page-64287-en.html