A study by the National Migration Observatory (ONM) on “Mobilizing Tunisian Skilled Workers for Tunisia’s Development and the Reintegration of Returning Tunisians” has recommended that the government work closely with financial institutions to simplify and facilitate administrative procedures for Tunisians living abroad who wish to return to their home country and invest there.
This thematic study, developed as part of the analysis phase of the Tunisia-Hims survey led by the ONM, also recommended the establishment of specific transfer programs aimed at returning migrants who wish to invest in Tunisia.
The study further highlights the need to simplify procedures for opening bank or postal accounts for Tunisians abroad, reduce administrative paperwork, and lower the cost of financial transfers to Tunisia, which remains high compared to the global average, according to the study.
It also emphasizes the importance of providing efficient financial services for Tunisians abroad to promote investment in education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship sectors.
Funded by the European Union, the study noted that the number of Tunisians abroad, according to statistics from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad, stands at 1.4 million.
Additionally, remittances from Tunisians abroad increased by 29.4% between 2017 and 2021, reaching 8,618 million dinars in 2021, compared to 5,035 million dinars in 2018.
The study also revealed that between 2015 and 2020, 39,000 engineers and 3,300 doctors left Tunisia to work abroad. The number of returning migrants is estimated at 211,000, of whom 47% are women who returned for family reasons, compared to 28% of men for the same reasons.
Returning migrants primarily invest in agriculture (30.61%), construction (29%), and commerce (22.7%), while current migrants invest in construction (44.61%), real estate (30%), and agriculture (15%).
Regarding migrant profiles, the study provides statistics on integration methods abroad. The number of migrants under technical cooperation programs reached 22,846 in 2022.
It is worth noting that the study is based on data from the Tunisia-Hims survey (2020-2021) to analyze the impact of returning skilled migrants on Tunisia’s development, particularly through their contribution to knowledge transfer and successful economic reintegration.
This study aims to provide an overview of Tunisian skilled workers abroad and upon their return, with a focus on the health and ICT sectors.
