Surviving limbo: On the road to potential immigration failure in the middle of a global pandemic

Arman, Gamze

Abstract

Purpose - The present study explored the experiences of a unique group of Turkish entrepreneur immigrants in the United Kingdom, whose initial experiences upon their move were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020. The study aimed an in-depth examination of this group's subjective experiences to explore the role of different factors on their perceptions of the path to potential immigration success or failure under extraordinary conditions of Covid-19 pandemic.
Methodology - Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of ten Turkish entrepreneur immigrants who moved to the UK between November 2019 and April 2020. The content of the interviews was analysed via theoretical thematic analysis.
Findings - The outcomes of the immigration process in the short term were defined as either voluntary exit or temporary survival, within the context and scope of this study. The primary themes of the immigration process leading to these potential outcomes were defined as pre-arrival factors, immigration-related challenges and uncertainties, crisis-related challenges and uncertainties, and critical traits, perceptions, and actions.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: 2nd International Conference on Self-Initiated Expatriation
• Start Date: Apr 11, 2022
• End Date: Apr 12, 2022
• Deposit Date: Feb 22, 2024
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11735620