Intention to Emigrate Again and Destination Preference: A Study of Indian Nurses Returning from Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

Abstract

This article empirically investigates the migration patterns of Indian nurses who have returned from Gulf countries, where obtaining long-term visas and citizenship is difficult, to determine whether their return should be considered a temporary or permanent settlement. The study addresses the likelihood of future migration and explores migration trajectories among these individuals. Our analysis reveals that returned nurses are more inclined to migrate again if currently employed in India’s private sector, which offers lower financial rewards compared to the public sector. On the other hand, those in contract-based public sector jobs express a willingness to relocate to Western countries but not back to Gulf countries. The limited occurrence of circular migrations to Gulf countries among nurses highlights their lower position in the hierarchy of destination countries. This study illustrates the complexities of nurse migration decisions, demonstrating that migration trajectories do not always follow a linear path towards perceived ‘better’ destinations.