Expatriates in their mother’s land: Brazilian Dekasseguis in Japan

Kaizo Beltrao, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE)
Sonoe Pinheiro, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE)

This paper analyses a sample of Brazilian dekasseguis at different instances in their migration process: those that have already returned to Brazil (returned dekasseguis), those still in Japan and those planning to go to Japan in the near future (potential dekasseguis). Part of the analysis aims at understanding the nature of the changes of this migration process. There are quite clear differences between the characteristics of the potential dekasseguis and the other groups: proportionally more single individuals; more people traveling by themselves; a larger proportion of individuals with direct support from family/friends to cost travel expenses, as well as job-hunting, as opposed to relying on travel and job placement agencies; a smaller proportion of those traveling with parents and siblings; a further generation distant from Japan; and a worse handling of the Japanese language. These characteristics indicate possibly an inflexion in the nature of the migration: from commodity to speculative.