Voluntary return is a key strategy in ensuring humane and orderly movement of migrants. It is an indispensable component of a migration management approach mutually beneficial to migrants, governments and other sectors of society affected by migration. It is a more dignified, cost-effective and sustainable alternative to forced return as it takes account of the person's decision, allows the returnee to prepare for the return, and avoids the stigma of deportation and its negative repercussions for successful reintegration.

Migrants aspiring to return and pursue their life in Moldova are often hesitant to do so as a return is usually associated with considerable logistical and financial problems. Yet for a successful start in the home country, solving existential problems such as finding employment, pursuing education or organizing school enrolment for children is crucial. The IOM-supported National Reintegration Network can offer a package of selected reintegration services to returning migrants, including those returning in the framework of Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) programs.

Integration and Reintegration

For three years, IOM Moldova have been assisting the voluntary return of Moldovan migrants by implementing projects oriented towards return and reintegration of migrants returning from EU countries (Austria, UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, Central European countries), as well as providing reintegration services to members of local communities, offering alternatives to migration and contributing to local community development and poverty reduction.

Reintegration services can be delivered at the local level through Rayon National Employment Agency branches, while the program is administered and monitored through IOM Chisinau and the National Reintegration Office in the Ministry of Trade and Economy.

The “reintegration basket” is a flexible package of assistance measures and can include a wide range of services tailored towards the individual needs of the returnee: medical assistance, employment counseling, reinstallation grants, grants for small business start-ups, vocational training or other forms of education, etc. The reintegration process is a dynamic one, and accordingly the implementation of assistance is regularly monitored and can be adjusted to changing needs and circumstances.

Policy Debate & Guidance

Following IOM advocacy and support, in September 2008 the Government passed the National Return Plan aimed at stimulating the return and facilitating the reintegration of returning migrants; a very timely policy document, given the world economic crisis which is likely to cause the return of a substantial part of Moldovan labour migrants.

 Results

• More than 360 members of local communities provided with reintegration assistance (vocational training, university and college education, purchase of professional equipment, job mediation, reintegration monitoring).

Information on Return and Reintegration in Countries of Origin (IRRICO II)

New Website Provides Reliable Information on Return and Reintegration in Countries of Origin- International Organization for Migration in Belgium (IOM) has launched a new website to provide migrants in Europe with unbiased and up-to-date information on return and reintegration opportunities in their countries of origin.
 
The EC-funded website allows migrants who are currently residing in Austria, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, and Switzerland to have 24/7 access to comprehensive information on return and reintegration conditions in 20 countries of origin, from Afghanistan to Ukraine, including Albania, Angola, Armenia, Brazil, Cameroon, the DRC, Georgia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Kosovo, Moldova, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Serbia and Sudan.

The direct link to the Moldova country sheet, which contains useful information for returning migrants is http://irrico.belgium.iom.int/images/stories/documents/Moldova%20RO.pdf 

AVRR Success stories

Agricultural work

After spending 2 years in Ireland, away from his family and home, Stefan decided to return back to Moldova. He missed his son and his dearest ones a lot. Because of the crisis that affected Ireland, it was difficult to find a permanent job there. Thanks to the IOM Dublin’s assistance Stefan returned home and joined his family in Moldova. IOM Moldova provided Stefan with assistance allowing him to restart the agricultural works in which he was involved before leaving Moldova. He needed a cultivator for ploughing vineyards.

Car painting business in Moldova

Simion, together with his wife, had been working in the UK for 4 years. After giving birth to a baby, Mara, his wife, had to take care of their child. It was difficult to keep a family in UK having an occasional job. Even more difficult was living without their other daughter who remained in Moldova in the care of Simion’s parents. The young family decided to come back to Moldova and to resettle in their hometown. Being in Moldova, they received support through IOM Moldova and purchased car paint tools. The business they use these tools for is quite successful and the young family can afford to live a decent life in Moldova. “We are thankful to IOM for its support. Thanks to this organization we are home with our eldest daughter.”

Selling good on local market

Alexandru is an irregular migrant who has been working illegally in Switzerland for 1 year. When he lost his job, he decided to return to Moldova. With IOM’s help, he succeeded to come back home. In order to help his mother, Alexandru started to work on patent basis in the trade sector. IOM Moldova provided him with the necessary assistance in order to start the new job. He rented a table in the local market and he now sells the goods. Sometimes his mother helps him. “It is very difficult to sell here. There are few clients and sometimes the daily profit doesn’t cover the rent we have to pay”, says Alexandru’s mother.

Dairy products business

Through the assistance Andrian received from IOM he succeeded to come back to Moldova from Slovakia. Upon his return, Alexandru was helped by IOM to purchase 2 cows and sell the dairy products on the local market. “I am very happy that I chose to return. Here I feel more comfortable, being with my family and girlfriend. The business is profitable. The dairy products are quite expensive, even if it demands hard work”.

Integration of foreigners in Moldova

After having lived and worked together in Italy for 5 years, Silvia, originally from Columbia and her Moldovan husband decided to go to Moldova and start a new life together with their small child. Their return was difficult because of the irregular status of Silvia’s husband in Italy, but thanks to the assistance of the IOM Rome they managed to come back home. 

The reintegration process in Moldova wasn’t easy for Silvia, taking into consideration that she did not know the country, its culture, language and traditions, but because she wanted to be together with her family, the integration into the new society was successful. Soon after their arrival to Moldova, Silvia began to understand the language. Now Silvia is fully integrated, she loves Moldova, its nature and welcoming people. “In the morning I wake up and the first thing I do is going in the garden. It is amazing. My baby also very much likes the food here. I am happy.” The IOM Moldova provided material assistance to this family in order to facilitate the reintegration process.

Empowering local persons interested in business set up. Prevention of illegal migration in rural areas.

From sewing traditional costumes to bags’ export in Italy

Tatiana is a small local entrepreneur. She has her own atelier where she sews national suits and traditional Moldovan crochets. The work is quite slow as it is manual work and the eyes are the principle tool. At some point she needed a good printer and scanner that would facilitate her job. IOM granted her with a high resolution scanner and printer that helped her lot. Before that, 8 women were working in the atelier on a permanent basis, but after a period of 6 months, 10 women were already working in the atelier. The results were amazing. The IOM assistance allowed women to have a decent job here in Moldova and not to leave the country and their families.
 
After 2 years of intensive work Tatiana wanted to expand her business in another field. Her active temperament always guided her in right directions. She established a good partnership with the director of sewing factory but the lack of qualified employers was the main risk in her business. She approached IOM with a project idea of supporting her in employing 70 people. It was necessary to find and train women and girls in sewing, most of whom came from vulnerable families. IOM assisted in the organization of 7 trainings in sewing begs, as well as ensured facilities to these people. Over 70 persons were trained of whom 40 were employed. “This is a great result! The initial salary was 500 MDL / 50 USD and now the highest salary is 4500 MDL / 450 USD. People are motivated and the business is successful. These persons don’t understand why I behave in a good manner with them, because other employers are indifferent to the workers”, said Tatiana.

Hairdressing salon in Calarasi.

Natalia and Svetlana are twin sisters; Natalia has a disabled child at home but faces difficulties taking care of him being a single mother. Svetlana is divorced and tackles some financial problems. The two sisters decided to start up a hairdressing salon in Calarasi town. They began in a small rented space in the centre of the town, having the strict necessary tools, during which time the quality was not high. Because of the low profit, they decided to invest more in their business and rented a larger space in order to create better conditions for clients. IOM’s support was substantial and crucial: they got professional scissors, hair dryers, a curling machine, a lawn mower, mousses and hair fixative, etc. Thanks to the IOM assistance, the profit increased and the clients were satisfied with the quality. “Now the clients tell me that they don’t hear how I work with the scissor and the lawn mower is great!! Thank you for this!”

Sewing business in Moldovan rural areas

When you have a dream you should do everything to follow it. Sabina is one of the hard working and ambitious persons who knows how to achieve goals. Despite the fact that Sabina was born with a disability - she cannot speak- she graduated from the professional school of sewing. She was one of the best students and wished very much to have her own atelier of sewing. For this to happen she needed a new sewing machine. IOM Moldova supported Sabina in buying the sewing machine. After 6 months, during one of the monitoring visits, she presented her works to the IOM staff. It was amazing! She has a relatively small profit, but it is a chance for her to be useful and she is living her dream.