In the context of Bulgaria's imposed transformation from a transit to a destination country for migrants, this study explores the patterns and implications of circular student migration between Central Asia and Southeast Europe (SEE). The research addresses the socio-economic consequences of integrating third-country nationals (TCNs) into the Bulgarian labor market and society, particularly against the backdrop of significant demographic shifts and labor force challenges. Circular student migration, characterized by the repetitive and temporary relocation of individuals for educational purposes, provides a unique lens to examine the micro, meso, and macro-level impacts of migration (de Haas 2014, 2010; King 2012; Vertovec 2011; Cassarino 2004; Massey et al. 1993; Castles & Ozkul 2014). The main research question this paper seeks to answer is: Which specific aspects of circular mobility can be identified and operationalized through the case of student migration between Central Asia and Southeast European countries, contributing to the conceptualization of the legal status of 'circulator'?

Drawing on the theoretical insights of transnationalism (Gońda et al. 2021; Kaiser 2004; Pries 2003) and global social spaces (Noller 2000; Giddens 1990, 1996), the study evaluates how these students navigate the dual contexts of their home and host countries. The research explores their contributions to economic landscapes and cultural exchanges and extends the analysis to the influence of such migrations on social cohesion. This includes examining how these movements may mitigate xenophobia and discrimination through enriched bi-cultural exchanges. Previous studies (IOM 2019) identify the primary destinations for educational migration from Central Asia as including the Russian Federation, China, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and other countries such as Malaysia, the USA, Turkey, Germany, etc. According to these studies, SEE countries were not of significant interest for educational and student mobility at least until before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in the context of Russia's war in Ukraine, new questions arise about potential shifts in these trends: Is there an additional flow of students from Central Asia to Southeast Europe after 2022, and to what extent does this flow occur at the expense of reduced interest in studying in the Russian Federation? Additionally, what motivates students from Central Asia to choose Southeast Europe as a destination, and are these motivations linked to intentions for subsequent permanent emigration or long-term integration?

The analysis is based on the preliminary results of the first phase of the interdisciplinary research project "Topical Aspects of the Integration of Non-EU Workers in Bulgaria", funded by the Bulgarian Fund for Scientific Research (Contract KP-06-PN85/39_BG-175467353-2024-11-0262) (2024-2027). The data and empirical information presented were collected during the fieldwork using sociological research techniques: narrative interviews and expert interviews, providing qualitative insights into individual and institutional perspectives; network analysis (examining the role of social and institutional networks in facilitating circular migration) and policy analysis (Investigating existing legal and institutional frameworks in both regions and their impact on student mobility). This comprehensive methodological approach allows the study to critically engage with the socio-economic, legal, and institutional dimensions of circular student migration. By answering these questions, the study aims at contributing to the development of a coherent framework for the legal status of "circulator" and provide insights into optimizing the socio-economic benefits of circular student migration between Central Asia and Southeast Europe (e.g. Bulgaria).

The international student migration has been an emerging part of spatial mobility studies since the beginning of 21st century. This relatively new topic could be conceptualised as a logical antecedent of individual labour and retirement movements from life course perspective disregarding children’s moves. According to literature, the longitudinal methodological perspective seems fit for gathering data on circular migration and circular migrants.

The hypothesis of the research is that the concept of circular migration is composed of at least ten elements, which should be tested and refined on a real phenomenon. The starting point is to list the specificities of migration patterns identified in various international documents and literature, going slightly beyond the traditional or narrow theory. Namely, circular migration is a lawful, temporary migration that a person undertakes repeatedly, following a defined pattern of movement, based on a stated motivation, usually within a continent/region and with more advantages than disadvantages. These specificities can generate different variations of each other. The test is the migration of undergraduate and postgraduate students from developing countries coming to Hungary to study under the Stipendium Hungaricum scheme (BA, MA, PhD) since 2013. These young people perform a circular migration during their studies and throughout their learning process, as they repeatedly travel back home, but do not necessarily return home directly after graduation, but continue their formal and informal learning in other countries. The programme, founded by the Hungarian Government is managed by the Tempus Public Foundation. It is available on five continents in over 90 countries, attracting tens of thousands of third country-national students each year. 12 years of migration data may help to establish a portrait of the circular migrant in the gallery of migrants’ statuses.

The European Court of Justice has now developed solid case law that not only makes EU citizens feel equal in their host country but also explicitly encourages mobility. Citizens returning to their home state after exercising rights abroad are rewarded with special rights ( e.g., the right to bring back family members from outside the EU), suggesting that the citizens' movement deserves all the means to facilitate it.

This is well illustrated by the growing case law on mutual recognition of professional qualifications, marriage, birth certificates, gender identity, and the naming law.

In contrast, the intra-EU mobility rights of third-country nationals who do not have the right to free movement are much more limited. EU immigration law allows mobility between Member States only for specific categories of immigrants and with strict restrictions.

However, there is still a vast gap between the mobility rights of EU citizens and those TCNs. In this light, it is worth examining the situation of British citizens. As a result of Brexit, British citizens resident in the EU have become third country nationals. The stated aim of the EU was that those UK citizens who had exercised their Treaty rights before the end of the transition period would not be adversely affected by Brexit. However, the Withdrawal Agreement essentially replicates the regime provided for in Directive 2004/38/EC, which means that it does not apply to citizens who return to their home state after exercising their right to move (so-called circular situations). Moreover, the Withdrawal Agreement's protection is limited to ensuring that British citizens have rights in the Member State where they reside at the end of the transitional period. However, when British citizens triggered their Treaty rights, they did so with the expectation (accrued rights) that they would be able to move freely within the internal market. This may have more profound implications for the meaning of EU citizenship and its possible approach to circular migration, which will be the subject of the research.

The session proposal deals with the international circular migration which has globally become a buzzword in scientific, political, and administrative circles since the new century. We concentrate on a general inner feature of the phenomenon which is the common root of false ideas and measures surrounding human circulation, namely their dual nature. The literature echoes wide variety of conceptualisations of international circular migration. However, the investigation and application of its dialectical characteristic is absent. On one hand, circular migration is a type of migration as a simple event, on the other hand that is a repeat process or a complete system. First aim of the session is to discuss the event-system dilemma in general and to provide an illustration with empirical evidence come from European countries in particular. Moreover, the potential authors try to contribute to the clarification of the general concept of human circular mobilities to foster scholars for sophisticated thinking and stakeholders for adequate policy making in global, regional, national, and local levels. As second aim, we propose the core elements of a new legal status by national scale, namely circulator, which is a common challenge for scientists and practitioners dealing with the arena of circular mobilities.