Mobilities in Asian-German transnational spaces: Temporary migrants' experiences, perceptions and motivations

Abstract

Temporary migration has become an increasingly important phenomenon, also within the German migratory context. This report identifies the qualitative characteristics of temporary transnational migration in the German-Asian transnational space. It concentrates on temporary migrants from Asia in Germany and to a lesser degree on German return migrants from Asia in the categories international students, professionals, family members, asylum seekers/refugees, as well as lifestyle migrants. The presented findings are the result of qualitative interviews, in which temporary migrants were asked about their perceptions, experiences and aspirations related to their stays. Based on these results, the report aims to provide an overview about the interviewees’ motivations to migrate, their feelings of acceptance and belonging in the society of destination, the forms and intensity of their transnational links and activities, as well as their future plans. These aspects are separately addressed for the politico-legal, socio-economic and socio-cultural realms and in the conclusion brought together and related to aspects of temporariness.