An IOM survey on the socio-economic profile and needs of Egyptian
migrants who have returned home because of the crisis in Libya
reveals that most of them require support to restart their lives in
Egypt.

The survey is based on a questionnaire distributed randomly to
1,283 Egyptian migrant workers during their evacuation from Tunisia
and Misurata to Egypt and on focus group discussions organized by
IOM in the Upper Egypt Governorate of Fayoum from where many of the
migrants came and have returned to. Additional data from this
survey was also obtained from the Egyptian Ministry of Manpower and
Emigration.

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Link alt="" border="0" height="12" hspace="0" src=
"/jahia/webdav/site/myjahiasite/shared/shared/mainsite/graphics/interface/icons_buttons/blue_link_box.gif"> "http://www.egypt.iom.int/publications.htm" target="_blank" title=
"">IOM survey on socio-economic profile and needs of Egyptian
migrants

The study confirms that the crisis in Libya, which triggered the
return of an estimated 200,000 Egyptian migrant workers, continues
to have a negative impact on poor and vulnerable families and
communities, especially in chronically food insecure areas such as
the Fayoum Governorate. Most respondents were semi-skilled adult
males who said they had been supporting dependants through
remittances, which have now dried up.

When asked about the future, 75% of respondents said they
intended to remain in Egypt and seek work or start-up businesses.
In some cases, the decision to remain in Egypt was linked to hopes
that socio-economic development will take place alongside Egypt's
political transition. In other cases, returnees said that the
trauma and suffering they had experienced or witnessed as they fled
Libya influenced their decisions to remain in Egypt.

Despite different motivations, the majority of those who
preferred to remain in Egypt said they needed assistance to access
financial services and assistance to start-up or reactivate their
businesses.  The survey found that financial assistance to
start private enterprises was largely preferred over additional
education and training because of the need for immediate access to
income.

Prior to the crisis, Libya was an important source of employment
for between 1 and 1.5 million Egyptians who remitted an estimated
33 million USD every year.

The survey is available online at:  "paragraph-link-no-underline" href=
"http://www.egypt.iom.int/publications.htm" target="_blank" title=
"">http://www.egypt.iom.int/publications.htm 

For further information please contact:

Mathieu Luciano

IOM Egypt

Tel: +202 273 651 40/1 Ext. 391

       +20 101 62 555 00

E-mail: mluciano@iom.int