ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic halted international mobility and greatly affected temporary migrant workers working abroad. This article looks at the pandemic-induced return of migrant workers from two major Asian labour sending states: Nepal and the Philippines. Drawing on interview data from 80 migrant returnees, this paper examines how the institutional level preparedness of labour sending countries and the individual level preparedness of migrant workers intersect and play a vital role for return and reintegration during times of crises. The Philippines, with its longer history of labour migration and experiences with other crises returns, has built a stronger institutional-level preparedness. Nepal, on the other hand, is a relative newcomer and the lack of an institutional level preparedness was visible as the government was initially unwilling and unable to support stranded migrants. Nepali migrants thus faced a higher burden, amplified by their lack of individual-level preparedness due to higher costs encountered during migration.