Beyond Temporariness: The Generational Transformation of Kosovo Albanian Migrants in Germany and Switzerland

Abstract

This article explores the integration experiences of Kosovo Albanian temporary labor migrants in Germany and Switzerland, who initially arrived under the Gastarbeiter program, and their descendants who navigated shifting migration dynamics, that is the transformations on legal status, labor regimes, and political contexts that have reshaped pattern of mobility, settlement, and belonging from the socialist Yugoslav period to post-independence Kosovo. While earlier research has examined labor market participation and policy, few studies have traced how temporary migration evolves into long-term settlement and identity change across generations. Drawing on 23 biographical interviews conducted between 2014 and 2016, this study focuses on language learning, employment, and identity negotiation. First-generation migrants prioritized economic goals and maintained transnational ties, often delaying integration. Their children, 1.5 and second-generation migrants, followed distinct paths shaped by early schooling, social networks, and dual cultural affiliations. The study also reflects on the researcher’s shared background and positionality, emphasizing the co-construction of knowledge through narrative. Findings highlight the complex, non-linear nature of integration and contribute to current debates on inclusive integration frameworks and the lasting legacies of so-called temporary migration.

Keywords:

• family reunification
• generations
• identity
• integration
• Kosovo Albanian migrants.