Impact of the global recession on migration and remittances in Kerala : new evidences from the Return Migration Study (RMS) 2009

The Research Unit on International Migration at the Centre for Development Studies undertook this study on the request of Department of Non-Resident Keralite Affairs (NORKA), Government of Kerala. NORKA envisagaaed that the broad objective of the study should be an assessment of the impact of global recession on the emigrants from Kerala. Its specific objectives are to provide answers to the following questions: • How many of Kerala emigrants lost their jobs abroad because of the global recession? • How many of them returned home due to recession-related factors? • What are the social and economic impacts of such job losses on the emigrants, their families and the Kerala economy? • How their subsequent return to Kerala impacted them, their families and the Kerala economy? • What measures can be adopted to minimise the adverse impact of the recession on the socio-economic situation in the state? • What measures can be adopted to rehabilitate the emigrants who have returned as a direct consequence of global recession, particularly those in low-wage jobs? These questions are answered in this study by a comparison of two data panels where information about employment, remittances and other characteristics have been gathered. The first data panel of emigrants and return emigrants for 2008 (before the recession) has been compared with corresponding information for 2009 (eight months into the recession). The difference between the two sets of data is attributed to recession.