New challenges for expatriate migrants: employment is no longer paramount

According to specialists, although the Lithuanian population continues to view returnees with suspicion, it seems to most that the country needs to make more efforts to attract the deceased. Lithuanians are convinced that one of the main measures that would help to achieve this is higher wages.

It is true that compatriots who have spent many years abroad would already return to a different environment; Research shows that over the decades, Lithuanians’ attitudes towards some problems have changed significantly. If jobs used to be considered one of the most sensitive topics, now its relevance is rapidly diminishing.

What is the attitude of Lithuanians towards returning emigrants, what are the most serious problems in the country and what three new challenges await those who have decided to try to create life in Lithuania again, discussed in the debate “How to create a favorable climate for return to Lithuania “.

As head of the Vilnius office of the International Organization for Migration, migration expert dr. Audra Sipavičienė, return migration has been growing since 2017.

„2017 returned 10,2 thousand. emigrants, 2018 – 16.6 thousand, in 2019. – 20.4 thousand, in 2020 in nine months 20.3 thousand.

This year, apparently, we will reach 25 thousand. I would like to point out that this year, since March, is the first year in which the overall result of the migration of Lithuanian citizens is positive. This means that return migration is growing and losses are gradually decreasing, ”he said.

Lithuanians expressed fear over the return of emigrants

In the discussion, A. Sipavičienė also discussed the population survey conducted by Spinter Research on behalf of Renkuosi Lietuva, which showed that Lithuanians appreciate compatriots who return home quite favorably. It is true that the average score is not very high: 6.51 points in the ten-point system.

According to the study, 41% of returning migrants are evaluated as neutral. Lithuanian population, quite favorable – 27 percent, very favorable – 12 percent. 6% indicated that 14% were very unfavorable and 14% quite unfavorable.

Despite the rather low evaluation, A. Sipavičienė emphasized, 60 percent. Lithuanians believe that the state should encourage return migration.

“Lithuanians named economic (job creation, investment), demographic factors, importation of innovative ideas and tolerance towards ‘others’, Western work and relationships between people as the greatest assets of returning migrants.

If we look at the fears, the criminal experience of the emigrants comes first. It is very important to note here that even if the units come back with criminal experience, in people’s minds it is registered as a sufficiently important phenomenon. Another thing, which is also reflected in people’s valuations, is that emigrants feel better, have higher income, greater purchasing power and therefore there is fear that returned emigrants will make goods, services and life more expensive in Lithuania ”Said the migration expert.

According to A. Sipavičienė, who presented the study, respondents also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that returnees use the health and social support system, although they do not pay taxes. This, the rapporteur said, shows that the attitude towards migrants is driven by a feeling of injustice.

According to the migration expert, Lithuanians are also concerned that the return of emigrants will increase competition in the labor market and it will be necessary to fight for jobs.

Believe in the need to pressure employers for wages

Despite the rather skeptical assessment of returnees, most Lithuanians believe that the country should make more active efforts to return those who have gone abroad.

“Even 45 percent. The Lithuanian population believes that the state does not take sufficient care of the return of emigrants. 10 percent declared that it is enough, 25 percent. They expressed the opinion that the state should not worry about it. , and 20%. stated that it is difficult to say or did not answer this question “, – A. Sipavičienė presented the results of the investigation.

Respondents were also asked what measures, in their opinion, should be taken by the country’s institutions so that more and more people who have left choose to create prosperity in Lithuania. Here, the survey shows, employers’ attitudes towards employees and the question of wages play a key role.

“36 percent. Noted that (it is necessary -” Delfi “) to pressure employers to increase wages in Lithuania. 31 percent chose the answer: help children of emigrants to adapt in Lithuania, 30 percent. Lithuanians believe that they should be informed about the possibilities of return.

Another 28 percent. Lithuanians indicated that to return migrants, they should be helped to find work in their country of origin. 23 percent believe that legalizing dual citizenship would help attract more migrants. After 17 percent. He stated that the return would be favored by the transmission of Lithuanian television and attendance at Lithuanian schools in the countries of emigration.

15 percent of respondents supported the idea that the return to Lithuania should receive financial support and another 18%. He said it was difficult to say or not to answer how the state should encourage the citizens to return home, ”said A. Sipavičienė about the Lithuanian attitude.

You want to work less and earn more

However, as the head of Baltic Research pointed out, sociologist dr. Rasa Ališauskienė, in almost 30 years, the problems identified by the Lithuanians themselves have changed in Lithuania, and the jobs are less and less relevant.

“If we look at it from 1996. to about 2004, dominated by the daily concerns of the home: jobs, low living standards. 2004 we had a great political crisis, that is, the impeachment of the president and we see that political things jumped for the first and only once ”, commented R. Ališauskienė.

According to her, Lithuanians’ concerns about politics were short-lived. until 2011 Lithuanians mentioned employment as one of the most important problems in the country, but then the sensitivity of this issue started to wane. R. Ališauskienė considered that perhaps several jobs had been created during that period; on the other hand, the unemployment rate could also have been affected by emigration flows.
“In short, the closer this year is, the fewer people wanted jobs and more money. In other words, I don’t want to work a lot anymore, but, as it’s called, I want to live with dignity”, R. Ališauskienė noticed a new trend.

According to the sociologist, it is difficult to say whether such a reordering of current problems may be related to the emigration of active people who have begun to build their well-being abroad.

And the rest waited for gifts from heaven, he thought.

Talking about the Lithuanian attitude towards returning emigrants, R. Ališauskienė noted that the problem of emigration became relevant for residents of our country only 10-15 years ago. The same occurs, according to her, with the issue of immigration, in which compatriots were only interested during the migration crisis in Europe. According to R. Ališauskienė, the quite strong emotional reaction of the population of our country to immigration was caused by the debate on quotas and Germany’s position on this issue.

“It’s not just about citizens of other countries, sometimes it all piles up. Around 2014-2015, everyone who came to Lithuania from elsewhere began to look like a certain threat, ”the sociologist explained.

However, according to her, the reduction in the migrant crisis and the lesser relevance of this issue in the media are also reflected in the mood of society – surveys show that for this year this issue has disappeared from the list of relevant problems for compatriots.

3 new challenges

For his part, A. Sipavičienė noted that it is always easier for people to leave than to return, because migrants have many questions on their shoulders at the same time: where to live, work, raise children, etc.

However, according to the migration expert, three new challenges affecting incoming and outgoing flows have contributed this year: Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and events in Belarus.

Speaking about Brexit, the specialist pointed out that long-term emigration to the United Kingdom (UK) accounted for 45%. total outbound traffic. Now it’s down 2.5 times.

“At the beginning of the year, there were huge fears that massive returns could begin, as the UK accounts for practically half of all emigration flows. Turns out the returns are not really massive and at least those figures show that around the 90 percent. Lithuanian citizens who have migrated and are working legally in the UK have already obtained residence permits there. This, of course, shows that they do not plan to return in the near future, “said A. Sipavičienė.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 pandemic, he noted, affected the plans of many who planned to emigrate and wanted to return to Lithuania.

“There are no real figures, there have been estimates on social networks or the media that are around 70 thousand. The Lithuanians returned only in March-April. But that number also includes tourists who had to return, which hardly really reflects the impact of Covid.

However, it is very clear that a pandemic is changing migration paths. Perhaps of those who thought to return, not all can return. Those who weren’t even coming back are reconsidering their plans. I think this also needs to be evaluated. Those people who think of returning, who return, must understand that the situation has changed, ”warned A. Sipavičienė.

She identified the events in Belarus as another challenge. According to the rapporteur, while this may seem to have nothing to do with the number of returning migrants, it also affects the environment to which those who have left plan to return.

First of all, since the Government of the Republic of Lithuania strongly supports and encourages the Belarusian opposition and many facilities have been accepted for Belarusian citizens to enter (…), labor is being attracted, it can be estimated that competition in the labor market will increase.

However, at the same time, a great effort is being made to attract business from Belarus as well, especially for the IT sector to relocate its businesses. Therefore, together with the incoming workforce, jobs would be attracted and new jobs created, ”shared the director of the Vilnius office of the International Organization for Migration.