Emigration from Belarus: experienced people are leaving
More than 48 thousand citizens of Belarus live in Lithuania. Such data are indicated in a study conducted by the Institute “Political Sphere”. The migration boom started in 2017 when, due to the crisis in Russia, Belarusians started to leave to work in the EU. The second powerful wave came after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “And there are no signs that labor and political migration will slow down,” says political analyst Andrei Kazakevich.
In 2013, only 5,846 people with Belarusian citizenship lived in Lithuania. That is, in ten years their number has increased more than eight times. In absolute terms, Lithuania for Belarusians has become the second most popular country to move to after Poland, notes the study.
A typical Belarusian immigrant is a driver or builder
After the 2020 crisis, up to 25 thousand Belarusians arrived in Lithuania. Consequently, almost half is the “old” migration, explains the director of the Institute “Political Sphere” Andrey Kazakevich. Political migration, according to him, reaches 50%.
“With regard to the sector of employment, logistics, construction, industry dominate”, observes the expert. “The share of IT in the labor market is no more than 6%. There is still no information on employment for 2022, but as a result of the mass relocation of IT companies after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the participation of representatives of this sector in the total structure of employees can increase up to 10%.
Survey data show that most men come to Lithuania from Belarus (up to 90%), in contrast to migration to Germany and Italy, where women make up about 70%. Only 6% of Belarusians have permanent residence in Lithuania, up to 75% have a residence permit, the rest have national visas.
“A notable increase in emigration began in 2017”, says the expert. “The first reason is the economic stagnation in Russia and then in Belarus. People have reoriented themselves, they have gone to work in the EU. The second reason is the relaxation of immigration legislation and employment rules in EU countries, when they simplified the issuing of work permits work for “scarce” specialties (this includes logistics, construction, industry) for citizens whose countries are members of the Eastern Partnership.
70% of newcomers have a stable income
In early 2023, the results of a survey of Belarusians in Lithuania, commissioned by the Center for Eastern European Studies, were released.
“The main segment is people aged 30-40. Older people are afraid of not being able to integrate, in addition to health-related challenges,” explained Zhivile Dambrauskaite, an expert at the Centre, on the air of Lithuanian TV channel LNK. “About 70% of those who come have a stable income. 25 “% would like to start a business. Only 10% of Belarusians who arrived use social programs. Of these, a quarter back to non-governmental organisations, i.e. only a small part falls on the shoulders of the budget.”
Last year, the number of Belarusians who own real estate almost doubled. In February 2022, there were 1,750 objects in Lithuania belonging to citizens of Belarus, now there are 3,200 for a total value of approximately 170 million euros, informs the BNS, citing data from the registration center.
polls independent Belarusian sociologists, Lithuania is the most favorable country for citizens of Belarus. Only 16% reported instances of discrimination, in Poland and Georgia the figures are much higher – 31% and 39% respectively. The most frequent cases of discrimination against Belarusians in Lithuania are insults (41%), refusal to rent housing (30%) and banking services (17%).
Qualified professionals leaving
The situation in Poland is also indicative, where, according to estimates by the institute “Political Sphere”, about 80,000 Belarusians are legally located. At the same time, in 2022, citizens of Belarus obtained more than 217 thousand work permits under a simplified procedure (for comparison: 103.7 thousand in 2021, 82.7 thousand in 2020). A person can obtain several permits during the year, most of these citizens do not permanently live in Poland, but this “commuting migration” also creates problems for the labor market in Belarus.
Mainly Belarusians are employed in Poland in work specialties (34% – transport and logistics, 24% – construction, 18% – manufacturing industry). Most leave in working age: 34% are 25-34 years old, 28% – 35-44.
“As a rule, these are qualified specialists with experience who have already built a career,” notes Andrei Kazakevich. “As long as the economic situation in Belarus and Russia remains unfavorable, more and more Belarusians will leave the country. Primitive administrative measures will not stop this.”
Will Belarusians return home? “Those who remained in the country are much more optimistic about the prospects for the return of Belarusians from abroad than the representatives of the diaspora themselves,” notes sociologist Gennady Korshunov, who conducted the study in 2022. on this topic. “The fact that after the fall of the Lukashenka regime half or more of those who “left” will return to Belarus is said by 58.9% of those who remain in Belarus, but only 45% of representatives of the diaspora think so.”
Source: DW
Anna White is a journalist at 247 News Reel, where she writes on world news and current events. She is known for her insightful analysis and compelling storytelling. Anna’s articles have been widely read and shared, earning her a reputation as a talented and respected journalist. She delivers in-depth and accurate understanding of the world’s most pressing issues.