Abstract:
The reintegration of returnee migrant workers in Sri Lanka is a highly challenging process. The
overall reintegration program requires strong national and local capacities to deliver services
and to harness the development impact of return migration. Therefore, any ad-hoc attempt to
do the reintegration may create scepticism among returnees. Programmes should consider
satisfaction of migrants' needs in each of the phases (pre-departure, departures, on-arrival and
in-service) of their return process, as well as the needs and potentials of communities after
return. Reintegration has two interrelated aspects, namely socio-cultural and the economic.
Without socio-cultural reintegration, the economic reintegration will be a nightmare. Sociocultural
learning that migrant workers espoused at the countries that they were working may
change the behaviour and lifestyle of them.
