International Labour Review | 2026
Authors: Nakamura N.; Suzuki A.
DOI: 10.16995/ilr.23803
Journal: International Labour Review
Year: 2026
Publisher: Open Library of Humanities
Document Type: Article
Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access
Cited by: 0
While temporary migrants, especially in labour-intensive industries, are expected to contribute to economic growth and the labour market in their host and home countries, the motives for their return to their home countries are ambiguous. In this study, we investigate the effects of occupational credentials, as proof of skills, on migrant behaviour – specifically, whether those held in migrants’ home and host countries influence their return aspirations – using primary data on foreign elderly-care workers in Japan. We find that migrant workers who hold occupational credentials in their home countries tend to expect to return to their home countries much sooner than those who do not. Our findings suggest that the occupational credentials issued in each country play a crucial role in migrant workers’ return. © The author(s) 2026.
care worker; elder care; Japan; occupational qualification; return migration