Re-Integration of Return Seasonal Labour Migrants in the Context of Timor-Leste - Issues, Challenges and Good Practices

Gouranga Dasvarma, Flinders University
James Chalmers, Lecturer

This paper reviews extant literature on challenges faced by female and male labour migrants in their re-integration upon return to their home country, with special reference to the seasonal workers from Timor-Leste. It outlines the positive aspects of reintegration, examines reintegration issues particular to Timor-Leste and other small island developing states, and identifies the benefits of remittances sent by labour migrants to their families. The paper concludes with recommendations for Timor-Leste, derived from exemplary actions in the literature that arise from legal principles, implemented as strategic plans elsewhere. The recommendations include: (i) Targeted and sequenced planning for return and reintegration: (ii) Financial literacy; (iii) Opportunities to seasonal workers to learn skills or trade to be utilised in the home country.; (iv) For overseas (Australian) farm workplaces to start targeting horticultural skills of East Timorese seasonal migrants that are mutually beneficial to host and sending countries; (v) To focus on the formation of cooperatives so that small land holders together can become owners of larger plots of land on the lines of the Indonesian Productive Migrant Workers Village (Desmigratif) scheme; and (vi) Cluster development training in skills acquired as seasonal workers, formally accredited by the host and sending countries.

Keywords: International Migration, Migrant Populations and Refugees, Population Policies, Population and Development

See paper.