Reverse migration: Overseas Vietnamese flock back to homeland

Minh Tam's decision to leave a stable life in Canada after eight years and return to Vietnam, at the age of 30, was met with surprise and disbelief from her family and friends, who deemed it a "crazy idea." Despite facing no significant challenges in integrating into Canadian society, Tam harbored a persistent feeling of not entirely belonging over the years. Her Canadian life was characterized by a solitary and repetitive routine: working in university research during the day and part-time at a shopping mall in the evenings and on weekends, often working seven days a week. Her meals typically consisted of supermarket rotisserie chicken, vegetables, and bread.

Tam's choice to return to Vietnam was prompted by two poignant moments. A visit home in 2023 triggered an overwhelming wave of homesickness upon landing at Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport. "Only when I set foot in my homeland did the longing surface," she recalled. The second catalyst was a dream where her parents were crying and asking her to stay. Waking from the dream, she looked out at the swaying delonix trees and realized, much like the flowers, she belonged to Vietnam.

Tam is part of a growing cohort of "return migrants"—individuals who previously settled abroad but have chosen to move back to their country of origin. According to the Migration Profile Vietnam report by the International Organization for Migration, approximately 500,000 Vietnamese return to the country from abroad annually, with 25,000 of these being returning emigrants. This trend is increasingly evident, coinciding with Vietnam's robust economic growth and improving living standards.

Nguyen Thi Huong, a former nurse, shares a similar story of returning to Vietnam after spending years in the U.S. and Australia. After her husband's early passing, she raised two daughters independently. Upon retirement, her children invited her to join them abroad. In 2019, she moved to California, U.S., confident that her English proficiency and outgoing personality would facilitate quick adaptation. However, she soon experienced profound isolation. Her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren were busy with work, and despite the large Vietnamese community, people were too preoccupied to interact.

To combat her loneliness, Huong began taking the bus to a nearby supermarket, where she encountered cold, indifferent staff, leading her to feel discriminated against. This discouraging experience caused her to withdraw from going out and socializing. One day, while sitting in a park, a woman mistakenly gave her $10, believing she was homeless. This deeply emotional encounter solidified her decision to return to Vietnam.

Huong's second daughter then invited her to Australia, but life there also proved unsatisfactory. She found the pace too fast, the housing inadequate, and her only chore was cleaning the yard. Her profound loneliness was epitomized by her recollection: "I was so lonely that I picked up each leaf by hand and didn’t dare rake them for fear there would be no more leaves and no more work to do." After just three months in Australia, Huong insisted on returning to Vietnam. In 2023, she moved back, renovated her house, and converted half of it into a pho shop for rent. Now, she finds peace watching people come and go and chatting in front of the shop. Despite needing medications nearby and her phone within reach for emergencies, Huong affirms, "For me, this life is what truly feels like living."

A report by the United Nations Economic and Social Affairs highlights that many second-generation Vietnamese immigrants also feel a lack of complete belonging in their adoptive countries, prompting their return to Vietnam. In the U.S., 60% of Vietnamese Americans reportedly still contend with language barriers, cultural integration challenges, and social status issues.

Dr. Catherine Earl, a social anthropologist at RMIT University Vietnam, suggests that reverse migration is influenced by multiple factors beyond just difficulties adapting abroad. Her research indicates that 21st-century migration is no longer a linear, one-way journey but a complex movement between various locations, including home countries, study destinations, work, marriage, and raising children. Many migrants find themselves in a state of "limbo," not fully belonging to any single country. Without adequate preparation, they can experience culture shock and feel disconnected from the language, food, religion, climate, and lifestyle of a new country. Some face disappointment when reality diverges from expectations, while others adjust their goals upon discovering new possibilities, including the option of returning home.

Dr. Earl tells VnExpress that reverse migration not only reflects personal choices but also reveals gaps in national policies related to education, employment, and cultural integration. She warns that if Vietnam's education and employment policies are not improved, this could lead to further outward relocation, resulting in wasted human resources, disruptions in generational connections, and limited global integration. Conversely, she implies that if appropriate policies are implemented, they could effectively harness the potential of these returning migrants.