Should I stay or should I return: emigration,return migration motivations and national attachment of temporary and permanent migrants / ¿Me quedo o me voy? Emigración,motivaciones del retorno migratorio y apego nacional de los migrantes temporales y permanentes

Abstract

We explored whether return migration intentions differ from emigration intentions motivated by national identity processes. Using the Model of Migration Changes and Social Identity Theory, we examined participants’ subjective and emotional interpretations of return motivations, emphasizing the influence of normative and psychosocial contexts. We analysed data from 52 semi-structured interviews with a mixed-methods approach and found overlapping emigration motives among temporary and permanent migrants. However, temporary migrants viewed emigration as a necessity driven by political factors, while permanent migrants sought a new home abroad. Temporary migrants showed stronger social and economic motivations to return, whereas permanent migrants dismissed returning. Quantitative findings revealed temporary migrants’ stronger attachment to their homeland, but both groups expressed nostalgia for their home country while maintaining professional ties to the host country. Therefore, understanding emigration and return migration motives requires a closer look at emigrants’ social and national identity processes.