Reintegration of Skilled Returned Migrants in Ghana: An Advantage or a Challenge?

Abstract

Many people search for opportunities for self-development elsewhere, particularly in other countries when those opportunities are nonexistent in their countries. Many other people also as rational as they are try to compare the cost of training in their countries of origin to the cost of training in similar field and finally make a decision to migrate for the ‗better deal‘ but later return to their home countries. There is however little known in the migration literature about the integration of the highly skilled returned migrants in Ghana. This study looks at the reintegration of highly skilled returned migrants in Ghana, with a focus on Accra. The mixed method approach has been used in this study, in which snowballing has been combined with purposive sampling to select a sample of 45 respondents for the study. The study discovered that returned migrants are skillful and could offer their labour for the development of the country when harnessed for development. The study also discovered that politics at both national political party level and organizational levels discriminate against returned migrants, but are in favour of those who were on scholarships that were sanctioned or awarded by the Ghana Government or the organization or institution. It was discovered people discriminate against returned migrants by cheating them because of their perceived wealth. Returned migrants easily get access to some resources such as land, social capital, in terms of help from people, and easily get integrated by marriage. The Ministry in charge of youth and employment should provide a platform where these returned migrants can upload their profiles and documents for job applications. The policy on discrimination on the basis of ethnic group or tribe, religious affiliation, and other factors should be enforced