Sita left India in 1996 to find work in Ireland. She remained in there for 14 years but then lost her job. With no employment, her visa expired and left her and her children in a difficult situation as they became undocumented. A friend recommended that Sita consult with IOM. She made an appointment and learned that her family could be assisted in returning to India. Sita was also excited to learn that she could apply for a reintegration grant.

After returning, Sita and her children received family support until she applied for the reintegration grant. Because she had no experience and insufficient funds, Sita knew that she did not want to start a business. Instead, she decided to use the grant to take a business management course. She also paid the school fees for both her children. “This was a great help, as it reduced the financial burden on me and gave me time to look for employment.”

Ravi came to Ireland as a student in 2007. After his course ended, he remained in Ireland to find work and became an irregular migrant. After three years, however, Ravi found himself without financial support and facing homelessness. He wanted to return to India but did not know how he could afford the plane ticket. He also worried about revealing his status to immigration authorities.

Friends told Ravi that IOM could assist him through the voluntary return programme. Ravi called the Dublin office and learned that he could receive assistance for the cost of his travel. IOM also explained that he would not be deported and helped to organize his travel papers. Ravi found out that after he returned he could apply for a reintegration grant at his local IOM office to help him go back to school or start a business.

After he returned, Ravi was supported by family while he established himself financially. He applied for the reintegration grant and received tools to begin an independent computer consultancy. He offers services like desktop publishing and data entry to people in his neighbourhood.

James and Shanti came to Ireland from India in 2001, after James was offered a promising job as a care assistant in a nursing home. They sold their home, placed their two daughters in boarding school in India, and moved to Ireland. They had been living in Ireland for seven years when the economic crisis began. The nursing home decided not to renew James’ work permit, and he found that no employer wanted to take on the expense of sponsoring him for a new one. At the same time, James’ mother suddenly became ill and all his savings went to pay for her medical care.  James and Shanti found themselves without any resources to continue living in Ireland.

James contacted his local Citizen’s Information Centre for advice, and they put him in touch with IOM. The couple, who could not afford plane tickets to India, were relieved to learn that their travel expenses would be paid for. IOM Ireland arranged for their travel, and they also knew that they could contact IOM Hyderabad in India once they returned.

Although they were excited to be returning, the couple worried that James would struggle to find work in India. They had to be able to meet the costs of their children’s education and the ongoing medical expenses of James’ mother. They decided to apply for reintegration assistance, which James put toward the purchase of a reliable, second-hand car that he could use to become a taxi driver. Knowing that they had this opportunity helped them feel secure in their decision to return. There was no doubt that they would be able to earn a good living at home.