Return to the South: economic (re)integration of return migrants, internal migrants, and non-migrants in post-recession Spain of the 2010s

This study investigates the labor market reintegration of intra-EU return migrants in Spain, comparing them with internal migrants and non-migrants. Using data from two nationally representative surveys of university graduates and vocational trainees, we analyze employability, earnings, and occupational status. Contrary to expectations, return migrants face employment disadvantages relative to non-migrants and internal migrants. However, they benefit from earnings premiums, particularly among those with extended migration experiences or who relocate upon their return. Occupational status outcomes are mixed: while return migrants initially demonstrate advantages, these diminish after accounting for selection bias. Proficiency in English positively correlates with higher earnings across all groups, particularly for return migrants, yet paradoxically aligns with lower occupational specificity. Job-specific experience acquired abroad proves essential for return migrants, helping mitigate disadvantages in occupational status. These findings enhance our understanding of the intricate dynamics of skill transferability and labor market outcomes within the EU, underscoring the importance of migration and return contexts in shaping returnees' reintegration experiences.