Between desires and reality: Investigating the return intentions among the second generation members of migrants from Serbia in Switzerland

Abstract

Return migration is an under-explored area of population mobility studies. Although the return intention does not represent a guarantee for its realization, migrants who express the intention to return have a better chance of achieving it compared to those who do not even think about it. Return migration can have great importance for the country of origin?s overall development, especially when it comes to return of young people. The paper presents the results of a survey carried out among the second generation members of migrants from Serbia in canton of Lucerne (Switzerland) with the aim of determining their return intentions. The research excludes the possibility of short-term (temporary) return, and the respondents answered about the intentions related exclusively to permanent return. For the purposes of the paper, an online questionnaire was conducted as well as interviews. The results indicated the complexity and indissolubility of migrants? ties with the Republic of Serbia on different levels. However, the return intention has been shown to be influenced by a number of factors that are primarily related to life satisfaction in the country of destination. In that context, it is not surprising that most of the respondents (48.4%) do not plan to return to Serbia, some of them (30.3%) might return, while the smallest number of respondents (21.2%) intend to return. In contrast to the intentions of the respondents themselves, it was found that the respondents? parents (the first generation of migrants) have a greater intention to return to Serbia (66.7%). By crossing the data, it was determined that the return intention is most express among employedmen who are married, who send remittances and visit Serbia two to five times a year. The intention to stay in the country of destination is most express among women aged 20-24 who are employed, unmarried and have no children. In addition, the results showed that respondents who plan to return are more likely to make contact with friends and relatives in Serbia than respondents who do not plan to return.