A new study supported by the Fondazione Migrantes is focusing on a group that has received little attention in Italy’s migration debate – Italian families who lived abroad for years and then decided to move back home.
The project, launched in 2026 by journalist and researcher Eleonora Voltolina, examines the experiences of so-called “former expat” families returning to Italy after building part of their lives overseas.
The research aims to understand why these families chose to come back, how satisfied they are with their decision, and what kind of Italy they encountered upon returning. Many of them spent years in countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, France, and the United States before relocating back to Italy with children who had grown up speaking different languages and attending foreign school systems.
According to data from the Fondazione Migrantes’ “Rapporto Italiani nel Mondo,” approximately 827,000 Italians returned to live in Italy between 2006 and 2024. Nearly 114,000 came back during 2023–2024 alone. The regions attracting the highest number of returnees include Lombardy, Lazio, Sicily, Veneto, and Piedmont. More than 75% of those returning are under the age of 50, with an average age of 35, meaning many are raising children during this transition.
The study builds on previous research involving more than 1,200 Italian expat families worldwide. That earlier survey found that many Italians abroad reported higher satisfaction with their professional and personal lives compared to life in Italy, though emotional costs remained significant. Around 57% of respondents said they felt sadness or guilt about the distance separating their children from grandparents and relatives back in Italy.
Researchers say returning families often bring back international experience, multilingual skills, and a broader cultural perspective that can enrich Italian society. At the same time, many encounter challenges involving schools, bureaucracy, work opportunities, and family support systems after returning home.
The online questionnaire for the new project will remain open through June 2026 and is aimed at parents with at least one child under 25 who returned to Italy after living abroad as a family. The findings are expected to appear in the 2026 edition of the “Rapporto Italiani nel Mondo.”
