“Working from home”: government initiatives to promote returning to Latvia amidst the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

During the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government of Latvia not only implemented a rather successful evidence-based approach to policy making regarding limiting the effects of the spread of the disease, but also designed a communication campaign ‘Ahead of the Curve’ to highlight this success and encourage diaspora members and others to consider Latvia as the place to settle down while ‘working from home’. In parallel, a return migrant organization initiated a debate in the Diaspora Consultative Council on the need for a clear approach to attracting digital nomads. This paper discusses the implications of these policy developments on the nature of Latvia's diaspora policy and return migration policy. The analysis explores the content of the campaign and policy debates to find the frames used to describe this new reality. It highlights the dependency of diaspora and return migration policy making on perceived economic growth or stability by policymakers.