1.2 million of Belarusians work abroad

The number of Belarusians working in Russia has doubled for the last two years.

The outflow of workforce became a painful problem for Belarus. According to government bodies, about 400,000, or 7% of the total number of working-age Belarusians, work abroad. Western institutions give more alarming figures. More than a million of Belarusians, or every fifth working-age citizen, work in Russia, Poland, Germany and the US. Is the problem of labour shortage acute in Belarus? How to return them home? Polskie Radio discussed the issue with Irina Vashko, a migration expert with a PhD in economics.

– Irina, how many Belarusians have moved abroad to work or go abroad annually, according to different statistical data?

– According to the information from the Belarusian Statistics Committee, we have a positive balance of migration. But according to our neighbours' data, the balance is negative and the number of those going abroad is growing annually. According to CARIM migration research centre, nearly 1,200,000 Belarusians work outside Belarus.

– Is the problem of labour shortage acute? What sectors lack specialists most of all?

– The employment market need blue-collar workers most of all. These are constructions workers, specialists in processing sectors, agriculture, forest and service sectors. Negative trends continue to grow. Demand for blue-collar employees increases.

– Where do Belarusians move to? What are the reasons for migration?

– Migration can be explained with economic pragmatism and economic interests of our citizens. Belarusians go to both neighbouring and far countries. The number of those leaving for Russia has been growing sharply in the last few years. About 180,000 Belarusians work there in 2012. In 2014, the figure reached 300,000, according to different estimates.

– It means that nearly 300,000 Belarusians work in Moscow, St Petersburg, Kaluga and other Russian cities...

– According to results of certain estimates, we can say so.

– What makes people leave their country? Is this much higher salaries in other countries or other reasons?

– We studied what influences migrant workers to leave their country. We came to a conclusion that the main role is the difference in wages. We also saw a direct correlation between GDP growth per capita in neighbouring countries and the growth of migration from Belarus.