Return Migration to Afghanistan or Staying in Iran among Afghan Youth

Return migration is an important but less studied issue in migration literature. This paper aims to study the levels and determinants of intention of Afghan youth toward returning to Afghanistan or staying in Iran. The data is drawn from a sample survey among Afghan youth 15-29 conducted in Mashhad and Tehran cities in 2010. The results are indicative of low willingness and intention of Afghan youth (especially for second-generation Afghans) to return to Afghanistan, and inversely, their high intention to stay in Iran for short- and mid-term periods. Multivariate analysis revealed that several socio-demographic factors affect migration options and strategies. Gender, education, generation, SES, length of family’s residence in Iran, adaptation patterns, social satisfaction, sense of discrimination, and neighborhood situation were found as important determinants of migration strategies. In conclusion, return migration is not only influenced by demographic and individual factors, but also, it is significantly affected by contextual and structural conditions.