From Kerala via Kerala via the Gulf : emigration experiences of return emigrants

This paper about return emigrants in Kerala is based on information on return emigrants collected by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) through several of its recent large-scale household surveys. The term ‘return emigrants’ is used here to mean Kerala-born persons, who have lived outside India for a minimum of 12 months or worked/studied outside for shorter periods. In recent years, return emigrants have become a demographically, politically and economically significant component of Kerala’s population. At present - one out of every 29 persons in Kerala - one out of every 22 adult population of Kerala (15+) - one out of every 19 working age population of Kerala (15-59 years) - one out of every 9 working age male population of Kerala are return emigrants. This report is about this important section of Kerala’s population. It therefore has significant bearings on every aspect of life in the state.