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Migration experience lived abroad
The migration experience lived abroad by the interviewees before their return to the Maghreb
Over 70%
of the interviewees left their homeland between the 1980s and the 2000s
(Tab. D2) with the intention of living in the host country temporarily (45%) or
permanently (27%) (Tab. D1).
42 % of the migrants who were forced to return expressed their initial wish to stay permanently abroad (Tab. D1). It is also worth highlighting that 77% of the migrants left their origin country only once to go abroad (Tab. D3).
The five main European countries of former immigration are France, Italy, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. Beyond the EU-27 Member States, Saudi Arabia and Canada are the most quoted non-EU countries, even though to a far lesser extent (Tab. D4 & Tab. D4.1 & Tab. D4.2 & Tab. D4.3).
The duration of the migration experience of the two categories of
returnees differ from one another. Over 65% of the migrants who were forced to
return were living from 1 to 9 years overseas, while 65% of those who decided
individually to go back home were living abroad from 5 to 39 years (Tab. D5).
Circa 80% of the returnees declared having left their homeland with official documents. However, this rate amounts to 65% for those who were forced to return (Tab. D6 & Tab. D7). Furthermore, the major hindrances to migration were mainly linked with the delivery of the visa, as well as with the administrative obstacles both in the origin and in the host countries (Tab. D9).
The motivations lying behind the choice of the migration country are connected with the idea that the access to that country is thought to be easier, first of all, and then with the fact that some family members and friends already reside there; eventually, the host country is believed to provide better job opportunities (Tab. D10).
Whereas the relations with the host society are thought to be positive by most of the interviewees (Tab. D11), they also pointed out many difficulties during the interviews, as regards the access to housing and to a legal job, as well as discrimination (Tab. D12). Such difficulties become more marked for the migrants who were forced to return.
