Quon's Study Abroad

When Quon could not find work in China, he planned to go abroad. He thought about moving to Japan, but his friends were going to Ireland so he joined them. Once in Ireland, Quon enrolled in an English language school, and he also took part-time employment in a nearby hotel.

In 2012, Quon ran into difficulty. “I was under a lot of stress in Ireland. Due to a school problem, I could not renew my visa. I could not find work. I decided to leave. My friends all left Ireland before me.” One of Quon’s friends had returned to China with IOM assistance, so Quon also applied to the programme. He was approved for travel assistance and returned to China a few months later.

After he returned, Quon lived with his parents until he started his business, a consulting company to help Chinese people enrol in schools abroad. “Since I returned, I found that the economic situation in China has changed. There has been rapid economic development.”  Quon applied for the IOM reintegration grant and used the fund to pay for the first month’s rent on his office space.

Quon spoke with a staff member from IOM Ireland in 2013. He explained, “The decision to return was not good or bad. Maybe I could say I have resettled.” Now he is glad to have a business in China, though he is not sure if it will support his growing family. “I got married after I was home for three months and have my own family now.” He and his wife are thinking about migrating to Indonesia because they have relatives there who can provide them with employment.