Welcome Home? The Role of Stayees in Return Migration

While most research on return migration focuses on return migrants' experiences, this article highlights the perspectives of stayee family members. Based on in‐depth interviews with 32 Polish stayees, it examines how they prepare for returnees' arrival and how they re‐adapt to their renewed presence, thereby supporting their reintegration into the society of origin. The analysis distinguishes two stages of receiving returnees back: the welcome stage, which is primarily concerned with practical arrangements and emotional preparedness, and the reception stage, in which returnees are further accompanied and assisted—or not—after arrival. The reception stage reveals two analytically distinct but often overlapping dimensions of stayees' practices: domestic and family inclusion, and socio‐economic inclusion. These forms of engagement vary with the strength of relationships and stayees' family positions. The findings show that return migration is a relational process involving both returnees and stayees, shaped by different understandings of responsibility and support.