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Preliminary estimates for 2020 published by Statistics Lithuania demographics provide at least a small pretext for optimism. The gap between emigrants and immigrants for the second consecutive year remained positive and, for the first time, more compatriots returned than emigrated.
However, more attention is being paid to immigrants from third countries; in the long term, labor market indicators do not appear positive, so the flow from third countries is likely to be more important.
Photo by Julius Kalinskas / 15min / Workers
Furthermore, Belarus and Ukraine, which are the largest source of workers, have recently been affected by political and economic unrest. Therefore, residents of these countries can choose Lithuania not only for its higher income, but also for better prospects and security. However, if the situation in these countries stabilizes, perhaps the wave of immigration will slow down somewhat. This would pose even more challenges for the Lithuanian labor market.
Where most come from
However, so far things on this front seem stable. More than 80 percent. Foreign immigrants came to Lithuania from the countries of the former USSR. Most of them – 9.3 thousand. or 41.8 percent. were citizens of Ukraine, 7.3 thousand also came. (32.7%) Belarusians, thousand. (4.4%) people immigrated from Russia.
Compared with 2019, the number of immigrant citizens of Belarus increased 1.1 times, the number of Ukrainian citizens – by 5%, and of Russian citizens – by 3.2%. It is true that around 350 Belarusians immigrated to the country for humanitarian reasons. The average age of an immigrant from a third country is 33, the same as in 2019.
However, the pandemic affected the sector over the years, with the largest immigration flows recorded in July-September. According to Sodra, before the second tightening of the restrictions, in 2020. In September, 5 thousand people remained in Lithuania to work. fewer foreigners from third countries than in January of that year. The decline in average labor income due to quarantine may have contributed to this; According to Sodra, foreigners from third countries were more affected by the quarantine in Lithuania than local workers.
Photo by Sigismund Gedvila / 15min / Sodra
The further development of immigration will depend on the pandemic and its impact on the sectors, but in general the situation should not change much: companies are constantly looking for workers because local resources are not enough.
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