This book examines the large-scale return migration of South and Southeast Asian workers triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring its causes, consequences, challenges, and policy responses.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a global phenomenon emerged - the mass repatriation of migrant workers. This book offers a meticulous examination of this unprecedented migration reversal in South and Southeast Asia. Through the contributions of researchers spanning multiple geographies in prominent corridors of return, the book dissects the motivations behind this large-scale exodus, encompassing lost livelihoods and societal anxieties. Further, the book delves into the multifaceted challenges return migrants face, including the reintegration into their home economies and the arduous struggle for re-employment. The analysis also extends beyond individual experiences by meticulously exploring the broader socioeconomic repercussions on sending countries, along with a critical evaluation of government policies designed to facilitate the reintegration of this displaced population.

Drawing upon diverse academic perspectives, this comprehensive volume serves as a vital resource for scholars and policymakers alike. It illuminates the pandemic's profound social and economic consequences, fostering a deeper understanding of migration patterns and the future of work in the post-COVID era. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies.

S. Irudaya Rajan is Chair of the International Institute of Migration and Development, India, and also Chair of the World Bank KNOMAD working group on internal migration and urbanisation. He is the editor of two Routledge Series – India Migration Report (since 2010) and South Asia Migration Report (since 2017) and Founding Editor in Chief, Migration and Development (Sage).

Jean-Louis Arcand is professor of economics at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, as well as an affiliate professor at the Université Mohammed VI Polytechnic in Rabat and currently President, Global Development Network. He is a Founding Fellow of the European Development Research Network (EUDN), a Senior Fellow at the Fondation pour les études et recherches en développement international (FERDI) and has been a Visiting Professor at Renmin University of China in Beijing, Universidade Federal da Bahia and several universities in Africa and the Caribbean.