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“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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 2

Research Project

“Migration, Scientific Diasporas and Development:

Impact of Skilled Return Migration on Development in India” Conducted between January 2011 – March 2013

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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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 4

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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 5

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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 6

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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 7

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

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Experiences in host countries

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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 11

Development aspirations

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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 12

« 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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 13

« 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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 15

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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 19

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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 20

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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 21

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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 22

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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 23

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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 24

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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22 09 2015 Migration from India to Germany 25

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

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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

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References

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