Addressing the Root Causes of the Ukrainian Labour Migration (Problems and Solutions)

Abstract

There is a growing body of literature that recognizes the importance of addressing mass labour migration, since the whirl of the latest mass labour migration, which has spread to more and more countries in recent decades, has rapidly become the matter of utmost importance for Ukraine. There is a clear and convincing evidence that the cause and consequences of Ukraine’s ‘mass migration exodus’ can play an imperative role in tackling the issue of returning of the Ukrainian emigrates and an efficient policy for their reintegration. It should be articulated, that according to UN statistics, Ukraine ranks the top ten countries with the highest emigration levels and its number has even increased so far. State Statistics Service estimates the number of migrant workers at 1.3 million, while experts say the number varies between 2 and 4 million. The discrepancies emerge both because of different understanding of the concept of ‘migrant’ and different data collection methods.

The Ukrainian statistics clearly claims that the core factor behind the rapid growth of labour migration, primarily, to Ukraine cross-bordering states and other EU countries, is not only a shortage of jobs or an increase in unemployment in the country, but the desire for higher earnings from those, who could find work in their homeland. Of particular interest for our research was a poll made in ‘Instagram’ among the students of the Faculty of History, Political Science and International Studies. The respondents showcased their awareness and keen interest on the problem and proactively participated in the survey. Noteworthy, the findings constituted an integral part of our practical side of the research and were incorporated to our conceptualization of the problem under study. Collectively, the studies outline a critical role for designing a longterm planning and an effective strategy to considerably improve the situation in Ukraine in an integrated and coordinated response. Significantly, by taking advantage of the latest technological and socio-economic trends from around the world, the Ukrainian government, ad hoc committees and other stakeholders should take into account various approaches to achieving the social and economic reintegration of all categories of Ukraine’s return migrants. The authors attempt to suggest a list of major steps to be taken for an effective reintegration program, and argue that the government should focus on the institutional mechanism of program management. Although the field is widely considered an applied science with practical applications, there are still philosophical underpinnings.