Return for development or ‘business’ as usual? The Ecuadorian experience

Abstract

Ecuador is a highly interesting context to explore the dynamics between migration and return. Since the election of president Rafael Correa, a new migration policy framework has been established. A lot of attention is paid to returnees and their potential contribution to the nation’s development. Official assessments of these measures, however, are lacking. This article provides a general insight into the experiences and obstacles with which return entrepreneurs are confronted in this region. Fieldwork was conducted in the Ecuadorian provinces of Azuay and Cañar. The stereotypical idea of ‘migrants coming back with a lot of money’, does not seem to correspond with reality. Abroad, these migrants find themselves in a weak socio-economic position and experience difficulties to collect financial, human as well as social capital. The economic activities they engage in upon return, can often be perceived as forms of necessity entrepreneurship. The government measures, such as loans provided by the Banca del Migrante and the service delivery at the Secretaria Nacional del Migrante, are evaluated rather negatively. Hence, we propose a number of policy improvements such as the conditionality of financial support and the provision of technical assistance before and during the initiation of the returnees’ entrepreneurial activities.

Keywords:

• return migration
• entrepreneurship
• migration policy
• Ecuador

Acknowledgements

Sarah Vancluysen also acknowledges the assistance of Maria José Rivera Ullauri and the logistic support of the Universidad de Cuenca in Ecuador during field work.

Notes

1. A savings and credit union cooperative active in the region since 1996.