Labour migration and National Human Resource Development in the context of post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the developmental impact of labour migration in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan in the context of National Human Resource Development (NHRD). Several theoretical propositions, ranging from personal experiences of migrant workers to their remittances and new skills acquired in migration, were identified before the data collection. A case study design with qualitative data was used in this research. Interview analyses of 14current migrant workers in Russia and 14 returnees in Kyrgyzstan revealed thefollowing categories: challenges and benefits of migration; developing new skills; use of remittances; reasons to return; employment or self-employment; remittances as investment and government assistance for returnees' business activities. Based on the research findings, it was concluded that labour migration has developmental impact that falls under the NHRD framework. This is especially prominent in regard to remittances and new skills that migrant workers brought back to Kyrgyzstan.

Keywords:

• National HRD
• labour migration
• migrants
• returnees
• Kyrgyzstan
• remittances
• Central Asia
• Russia