This doctoral research is designed around two interrelated aims: Firstly, it aims to
explore the livelihood opportunities and strategies of professional first and second generation
Nepali migrants and their families in the UK, in order to understand the importance of
education, knowledge, social networks and employment in shaping their social mobility and
other livelihood outcomes. Secondly, it examines how a small sample of return migrants have
transferred their qualifications, knowledge, labour market experiences and social and
professional networks to develop new livelihood strategies in Nepal and the research considers
how this knowledge transfer may contribute towards the future development prospects of
Nepal. Drawing on qualitative in-depth interviews with 40 Nepali participants, 30 residents in
the UK and 10 returnees in Nepal, the research draws on livelihoods approaches to explore
how the everyday lives and social mobility of professional Nepali migrants are shaped by both
tangible improvements in higher education and professional knowledge, as well as more
intangible assets, such as entrepreneurism, that have the potential to contribute to Nepali
development on return. The research also assesses the important contributions migrants’ make
towards the future development prospects of Nepal and it concludes with suggestions for
further research and recommendations to support the Nepali diaspora. It is hoped that this
research will fill a much needed gap in the empirical research and published scholarship on the
professional Nepali diaspora community in the UK
