Dr. Kostyantyn Mezentsev Professor of Department of Economic and Social Geography

Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National UniversityE-mail: k_mez@ukr.net

UKRAINIAN MIGRANTS’ PRESSURE ON THE

VISEGRAD COUNTRIES: VIEWPOINT OF GEOGRAPHER

RESEARCH URGENCY

- Labor migration is an essential part of contemporary society, a factor of socio-economic transformations that can have either stimulating or negative effects.

- The needs of the Visegrad countries national labor markets in labor force leads to openness to migration from outside the EU.

- Labor migration from Ukraine arise economic, social, political problems for our country.

- Labor migration must to have positive socio-economic effects for both migrants and countries of their origin and countries of destination.

Conclusion: This problem is important both for Ukraine and for the Visegrad countries, and can be solved only by joint efforts.

THE SOURCE BASE OF RESEARCH

-- Official data in Ukraine: given by State Statistics Committee of Ukraine and the Ministry of Labor and Social Defense.

-- Expert studies in Ukraine: ‘Foreign Labor Migration in Ukraine’, ‘The Labor Market in Ukraine: Challenges of Migration’ (2008) and others.

-- Researches and database in Soderkoping process, in particular, survey ‘The Status of Migrants From Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine on the Labor Markets of Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and the Slovak Republic’ (2008).

-- Workshops in Ukraine: ‘Ukrainian Labor Migration: the Realities, Challenges and Responses’ (Kyiv, 2008), ‘Ukrainian Migration to Check Republic’ (Lviv, 2008).

Conclusions: 1) official statistics are insufficient, expert estimates differ considerably as by the methodology so by the results, and2) the problem was discussed at international scientific seminars, but needs further study to obtain adequate and comparable information using a common methodology.

FOREIGN LABOR MIGRATION IN UKRAINE

- Official statistics (2007): officially employed abroad - 72.2 thousand

- Overall assessment - from 1.5 to 7 million people (depending on the source of information);

- My estimate - 1,5-2 million. It consists 0.75-1.5% of the world migration, 1.5-2.0% of the world labor migration, 6.7-8.9% of the economically active population of Ukraine.

11,818,7

24,428,2

33,7 36,340,7 38,2

45,7

56,563,4

72,2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Fig. 1. Dynamics of the number of citizens who are temporarily working abroad (according to the State Employment Office of Ukraine)

Figure shows some slight positive shifts in the legalization of labor migration.

FOREIGN LABOR MIGRATION IN UKRAINE

- Mostly migrants are from rural areas of Ukraine, majority of them are married.

- Transfers from abroad is 2.9 billion dollars in 2008 (1.6% of GDP), 1.0 billion dollars in the first half of 2009 (according to the National Bank of Ukraine).

- The main sectors of employment of Ukrainian migrants are construction (30-50%), agriculture (8-9%), household (15-16%), services (8-15%), industry (5%).

Conclusion: on the one hand, the scale of Ukrainian foreign labor migration is threatening to sustainable socio-economic development of Ukraine, on the other hand, contributes to the growth of the welfare of the migrants and their families.

UKRAINIAN LABOR MIGRANTS IN THE VISEGRAD COUNTRIES

- Overall assessments: Slovakia – from 150 to 400 ths Poland - from 100 to 450 ths Hungary – from 20 to 80 ths Slovakia – from 4 to 6 ths Total - 274-936 ths

- My assessment: legal / together Slovakia - 120-130 ths / 175-250 ths Poland - 20-22 ths / 120-250 ths Hungary - 10-20 ths / 40-50 ths Slovakia – 3.8-4 ths / 5-6 ths Total - 154-556 ths (0.69-2.48% of the economically active population of Ukraine)

- Share of all Ukrainian migrants: Slovakia – 8.8-16.7% Poland – 6.0-16.7% Hungary – 2.0-3.3% Slovakia – 0.3-0.4% Total – 17.1-37.1%

- The ratio of legal and illegal immigrants: Slovakia - 1:0.5 Check - 1:0.5-1 Hungary - 1:2 Poland - 1:5-10

UKRAINIAN LABOR MIGRANTS IN THE VISEGRAD COUNTRIES

- Loading on 100 persons of economically active population: legal / together Slovakia – 2.30-2.50 / 3.35-4.80 Poland – 0.12-0.13 / 0.71-1.47 Hungary – 0.24-0.48 / 0.95-1.19 Slovakia – 0.14-0.15 / 0.19-0.22

Conclusions: 1) the most essential pressure of Ukrainian migrants in Check and Poland, while in the last - more illegal, 2) it’s necessary to give a coherent assessment of Ukrainian migration to the Visegrad countries, which can only be a joint effort, 3) it is possible to conduct joint researches in our universities, where students can practice in evaluation.

REASONS OF THE UKRAINIAN LABOR MIGRATION TO THE VISEGRAD

COUNTRIES In Ukraine:- Economic: Low wages in Ukraine, the underestimation of the cost of labor; Unemployment, lack of income sources; Desire to provide the welfare of children, their education; Underdevelopment of small businesses in Ukraine; - Socio-psychological: Discomfort from the political and economic instability in Ukraine; Hopelessness and lawlessness of rural inhabitants; Ethnic, cultural and relative ties; "Social fashion" on migration; Escape from the social problems; Non prestigious employment of such works in Ukraine; - Administrative in Ukraine: Corruption, unprotected from abuse of power structures; Ineffective internal migration policy of Ukraine.

REASONS OF THE UKRAINIAN LABOR MIGRATION TO THE VISEGRAD

COUNTRIES In the Visegrad countries:- Economic: Dissatisfaction of the demand for labor force, especially in construction, agriculture, service, flight of native labor, lack of certain specialists; Employers save on taxes and social insurance through the use of illegal

immigrants; - Socio-demographical: Welfare increasing, desire to have servants, reluctance to work at non prestigious sectors of economy; Challenges of nation aging nation; Emigration.

Conclusions: 1) explanation of labor migration from Ukraine to the Visegrad countries is not only economical, but also has got an essential socio-psychological role, and 2) considerable part of labor migration is not forced and is conscious!

REASONS OF THE UKRAINIAN LABOR MIGRATION TO THE VISEGRAD

COUNTRIES - Geographical: Specific geopolitical position of Ukraine that induced migration:        Geographical proximity, neighborhood;        Higher standards of living.These two conditions determine the choice of target countries for Ukrainians - the Visegrad countries.

Countries with higher

standards of living

Geographically, culturally, ethnically proximate countries

VISEGRAD COUNTRIES

EVOLUTION OF UKRAINIAN MIGRATION TO THE VISEGRAD

COUNTRIES

Beginning of the 1990th was characterized by "transparency" of Ukrainian borders, lack of national legislation in the field of migration. Changes: - "shuttles" changed by "guest workers” (“gastarbeiters"); length of stay has increased; - share of women migrants who work in the household has increased also; - the nature of illegal labor migrants has changed - before they crossed the border illegally, now - legally, but working illegally. - before in Ukraine were problems with employment, now it is not so sharp.

Conclusion: The process of Ukrainian labor migration to the Visegrad countries compared with the spontaneity of the 1990th becomes more manageable.

WAYS OF UKRAINIAN LABOR MIGRATION TO THE VISEGRAD

COUNTRIES

The main ways: 1) Through family ties or informal association of migrants; 2) Through recruitment agencies that are licensed by Ministry of Labor. Their activities are limited by small demand for legal labor, high cost of public services. The recruitment agencies are unconscientious sometimes; 3) Without intermediaries through direct contact with the employer.

Conclusion: The migration infrastructure in Ukraine is underdeveloped.

COMPARISON OF LABOR MARKETS AND LIVING STANDARDS OF UKRAINE AND THE

VISEGRAD COUNTRIES

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2005 2006 2007 2008

Check Hungary Poland Slovakia EU-27 Ukraine

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2005 2006 2007 2008

Check Hungary Poland Slovakia EU-27 Ukraine

Fig. 2. Unemployment Rate (15 +), % Fig. 3. Employment rate (15 +), % (according to the Eurostat, the State Statistics Committee of Ukraine)

COMPARISON OF LABOR MARKETS AND LIVING STANDARDS OF UKRAINE AND THE

VISEGRAD COUNTRIES

40

5040

10040

15040

20040

25040

30040

2007 2008 2009 2010

Check Hungary Poland Slovakia Ukraine

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2006 2007 2008

Check Hungary Poland Slovakia Ukraine

Fig. 4. GDP per capita, PPP (IMF estimates and projections)

Fig. 5. Access of households to the Internet,%

(Eurostat data and the author's own estimates, according to Monitoring of the socio-economic development in Ukraine and the State Statistics Committee data)

COMPARISON OF LABOR MARKETS AND LIVING STANDARDS OF UKRAINE AND THE

VISEGRAD COUNTRIES

Country Employment rate, 15+ Unemployment Rate, 15+

Share of households with access to the

Internet

Gap coefficient

Variation coefficient,

%

Gap coefficient

Variation coefficient,

%

Gap coefficient

Variation coefficient,

%

Poland 1,13 4,0 1,37 11,7 1,14 4,1

Check 1,13 4,1 4,11 45,0 1,59 14,9

Slovakia 1,28 9,7 3,88 47,2 1,07 3,7

Hungary 1,27 9,7 2,91 38,3 1,45 13,0

Ukraine 1,22 3,8 2,84 23,6 18,36 102,5

Table 1. Indicators that characterize the regional differentiation of levels of labor market and living standards, 2008

COMPARISON OF LABOR MARKETS AND LIVING STANDARDS OF UKRAINE AND THE

VISEGRAD COUNTRIES

0 0,5 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4

Check

Hungary

Poland

Slovakia

Fig. 6. The ratio values of the Visegrad countries to Ukraine, by GDP per

capita, PPP, 2008 (according to IMF)

Conclusion: The situation on the labor markets of Ukraine and the Visegrad countries is similar in relation to employment. However, a substantial difference in living standards stimulates labor migration from Ukraine to the Visegrad countries.

STRATEGY OF UKRAINE FOR THE PREVENTION OF FOREIGN LABOR

MIGRATION Political instability in Ukraine distracts government management from solving of urgent problems of society, encouraging declarations and promises. - The concept of state migration policy of Ukraine is not approved. - Migration programs do not work. - Coordination of executive bodies and public organizations in the field of migration is a weak. - There is a necessity for a State Migration Service of Ukraine. - Government of Ukraine approved the Concept of the national target social program ‘Preservation and Development of Labor Potential of Ukraine Until 2017’ (2009).

Conclusion: due to the lack of legislatively fastened conception of management migration strategy outflow of labor from Ukraine continues.

PROBLEMS OF UKRAINIAN LABOR MIGRATION TO THE VISEGRAD

COUNTRIES For Ukraine: - Social: Disintegration of families, drinking, family betrayal; Social orphanhood; Shaping so-called migratory lifestyle; - Economic: Outflow from the country the best employment potential; Formation deficit of skilled workers in the domestic labor market of Ukraine; Labor migrants get free education in Ukraine and later claim to pensions, but not working in their home country, pension and social funds are not filled with deductions from their wages. They and their families eligible for all social guarantees - free education, medicine, etc.; Loss of intellectual potential; - Political: Claims to Ukraine from the states-recipients; Negative image of Ukraine as a country that is unable to create decent conditions for their citizens.

PROBLEMS OF UKRAINIAN LABOR MIGRATION TO THE VISEGRAD

COUNTRIES

For the Visegrad countries: - Economic: Increased competition in the labor market. Migrantsis the potential "thieves" of jobs; Outflow of money from the country; - Social: Crime and corruption associated with illegal migration; Erosion of the cultural unity of the nation; Social tension due to public rejection of foreign labor migrants.

Conclusion: The Ukrainian labor migration to the Visegrad countries arise a threat to stable socio-economic development of all countries. First for Ukraine.

BARRIERS FOR THE UKRAINIAN LABOR MIGRATION INTO THE

VISEGRAD COUNTRIES

- Administrative: the complexity and the long-term process of legal migration, issues of safe and affordable money transfers to Ukraine, migrants have little right to change work, the employer or areas; - Informative: lack of information at the departure in concern of opportunities, rights, and obligations of labor migrants. As result, labor migrants do not protect their rights, do not adhere their duties, and do not know the local labor and immigration laws; - Socio-psychological: fear of a new society, fear to be deported, ignorance of the language, the psychological stress of work in another environment, without family, the threat of discrimination and labor slavery.

Conclusion: The existing barriers to labor migration from Ukraine to the Visegrad countries will not stop their flow and simultaneously stimulate illegal migration, complicate the conditions of stay.

INTEGRATION OF UKRAINIAN LABOR MIGRANTS TO THE NEW

COMMUNITY

Ukrainian labor migrants has mainly temporary and illegal nature, as a result, migrants have no desire to integrate into the new society.

There is no official support from the State of origin and arrival of labor migrants.

Ukrainian embassies and consulates show unfriendly treatment to their labor migrants.

Ethnic immigrant communities (Diaspora) have a little contact with labor migrants.

NGOs worry primarily problems of refugees and asylum seekers.

Conclusion: The integration is essential condition, but it is complicated by the reluctance of the migrants on the one hand, and states of origin and arrival, on the other.

INTEGRATION OF UKRAINIAN LABOR MIGRANTS TO THE NEW

COMMUNITY

BUT:

in Slovakia operates the Center for Migration and Information, in Hungary - the information center for migrants, in Check NGO "People in trouble". In Poland immigrants from Ukraine have own association "Our choice - Ukraine", dedicated to informational support, protection of migrant workers.

The communities of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church provides essential assistance to labor migrants legally, and financially, and informational, and morally.

There is the EU program for integration of third country nationals. EU directive came into force on the "blue card" - provided highly skilled migration from third countries (Admission of highly skilled migrants), to attract seasonal workers (Admission of seasonal migrants).

REFUGEES

Country Applications Satisfaction Average level of satisfaction of

Ukrainian applications in last 3-5 years,

%

Total including Ukraini

ans

Total including Ukrain

ians

Poland 10048 55 2982 0 4

Hungary 3419 19 169 0 10

Slovakia 2643 36 14 1 27

Ukraine 2272 33

Table 2. Number of refugees and asylum seekers in 2007 (According to the databases of Soderkoping process )

Max. in Ukraine - from Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh. Delays illegal migrants in Ukraine: in the country - 14-15 ths (maximum - Russia/Chechnya/, Azerbaijan,Moldova) on the borders - 25-27 ths (Moldova, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan)

REFUGEES IN UKRAINE

Share of refugees

- less than 0,5% - less than 2,0% - less than 8,0% - more than 8,0%

Kyiv

Lviv Kharkiv

Odesa

Khmelnitski

Fig. 7. The distribution of refugees in regions of Ukraine (according to the Ministry of Interior of Ukraine)

UKRAINE AS A TRANSIT COUNTRY FOR MIGRANTS

Indian-Pakistan-Afghan Chinese Vietnamese Arabian-Kurdish

Fig. 9. Directions of illegal migration through Ukraine Conclusions: 1) The Ukraine is a transit country for illegal migrants and refugees seeking to enter the EU, but remain partly in Ukraine, 2) Ukrainian migrants is less threatening in compared with Vietnams, Mongols, Chinese that ethnically and culturally distinctly differ.

CONTRADICTIONS OF LABOR MIGRATION

- The needs of internal labor markets vs Visegrad countries implementation of the EU requirements to limit access of migrants from third countries Exit - preferences for ethnic, border, seasonal migrants; - Protection of the domestic market vs market demand in the labor force Exit - sectoral quotas; - Desire is legalized vs complexity and bureaucracy, high cost of legal employment, loss of mobility, flexibility to respond to the needs of the labor market Exit - changing legislation, advertising; - Increase of the number of immigrants vs deteriorating of attitudes of local residents, the weak integration into local societies

Exit - combining the efforts of Ukraine and the Visegrad countries.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

Creating of barriers changes only the ratio of legal and illegal immigrants changes, the ratio falling ways. Legalization simplifying stimulates increase of the share of legal; migrants, and vice versa. But the process does not change. 1. We need in awareness at all levels that the Visegrad countries were finally destination of foreign labor migrants and this is an objective process. But it requires a clear direction and control, primarily by setting clear rules of the game, quotation, ordering and stimulate recruitment agencies. 2. An important condition is to overcome the negative attitude of officials of both Ukraine and the Visegrad countries to solve the problems of labor migrants, the development of joint programs of their integration into local communities.

3. We need in improving of Ukraine's migration policy aimed at promoting of employment in the country, in advertising of secure and paid Ukrainian labor market for Ukrainians (including overseas).

4. We need in in systematical assessment of the real number of migration between Ukraine and the Visegrad countries, especially in construction, agriculture and households. Such assessments should based on the same for all countries methodological basis that we must to develop.

All this is possible only by joint efforts!

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

Thank you for attention!