A Unique Country

Migrant workers are offered higher wages than those earned by Belarusians themselves.

Migrant workers are usually hired for the simple reason that their labor is cheaper than that of locals, who are too spoiled by their comfortable lives. This rule applies everywhere—whether in Germany, the U.S., or Russia.

Learn how the Grodno Region lures workers from Tajikistan with wages higher than those of Belarusians—in the new episode of the “Optimum” program on the YouTube channel “Belarusians and the Market”.

Come, dear guests

Belarus is that unique country where migrant workers are offered wages higher than those of Belarusians themselves. As reported on Monday by the Tajik Ministry of Labor, companies in the Grodno region are ready to pay workers from that country between $750 and $1,200 per month.

And that includes housing and partial meals. The ministry did not specify exactly how many Tajik workers will come to Belarus. However, relevant agreements have been signed with about a dozen organizations.

Among them are OJSC “Gronitex,” OJSC “Belcard,” the “Skidelsky” Agricultural Complex, the construction company “Grodnopromstroy,” “Grodnooblavtotrans,” and “Tsvetlit.” In addition, job openings are available for agricultural workers, bus drivers, and employees at the “Grodno Garden” greenhouse complex.

$1,200 is already higher than the average salary in the Grodno Region, which stood at approximately 945 in September. And it’s higher than the average salary in Belarus.

But the average salary is like the average temperature in a hospital. There may be unique companies that pay their employees much more because they can afford to.

Job Opening

That’s why I reviewed the job postings for all the companies on the list, and now I can say with certainty that not a single one of them offers a salary of $1,200.

The only person who might earn more than $1,200 is an international long-haul truck driver with all the necessary permits to transport goods throughout the European Union. An ordinary driver at Grodnooblavtotrans can expect, at best, a salary of up to $1,000. Support staff at the company are offered between $200 and $600.

The company “Tsvetlit” promises a salary of $1,000—but only for a lead design engineer. Skilled workers here are offered salaries ranging from $650 to $980. But you’ll earn $980 only if you’re qualified as a die-casting operator. In other words, it’s a rather unique trade after all.

And if you’re a regular mechanic or miller, you can expect to earn $450. “Grodnopromstroy” offers up to $1,000 to skilled workers. But, again, less-skilled workers can expect to earn $400–500 per month.

What’s most outrageous is that at the “Gronitex” plant, even the head of the transportation shop isn’t promised more than $1,080. For support staff, salaries here range from $300 to $650.

At the Skidel Sugar Complex, they’re even willing to pay middle managers only $750. Yet $750 is the minimum wage used to lure workers from Tajikistan.

At the Skidel Agricultural Complex, the situation regarding salaries for management is a bit better. There, a branch director can expect to earn as much as 1,500. However, skilled workers are not offered more than 650. That’s $100 less than the minimum wage for workers from Tajikistan. Salaries for unskilled Belarusian workers here range from 300 to 430.

Of course, workers from Tajikistan may be excellent specialists with a high level of expertise and unique qualifications. But we’ll never know. Because the main qualification requirement that the Belarusian authorities officially impose on these migrant workers is knowledge of the Russian language. No other requirements are listed.

There are a few questions

True, a promise isn’t the same as a marriage contract. Uzbek workers in the Vitebsk region were also promised a salary of over a thousand dollars along with housing. In the end, it was only after protests and intervention by the Uzbek authorities that they were able to secure $750 each.

The authorities can bring in a few dozen people and pay them more than they pay Belarusians—and more than these enterprises can actually afford to pay. But even a few hundred migrant workers become a problem.

That’s why the 150,000 Pakistanis, tens of thousands of Uzbeks, and workers from Tajikistan are all PR stunts that have very little to do with the real economy. It’s just another excuse to accuse Belarusians of being lazy and to claim that we can get by just fine without them.

So there’s no need to fear foreigners taking your jobs. Because the Belarusian economy isn’t in a position to afford bringing in a massive influx of foreign labor. Belarus cannot afford migrant workers. If you pay these workers Belarusian wages, they won’t come to Belarus. And if you pay them more than you pay Belarusians, you’ll simply go bankrupt.

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