Socio-economic problems of returning migrants' reintegration in Georgia

CARIM-East: Creating an Observatory of Migration East of EuropeVersion in other language: Migration Policy CentreCARIM-East Research Report2013/11The present work of research reveals that despite an economic revival, the labour market infrastructure in Georgia and the cost of labour force do not contribute to any reduction in labour emigration. Therefore, great emphasis is placed on the facilitation of return migration back to the homeland and the socio-economic efficiency of this process. The results of the sampling survey of return migrants in the capital of Georgia and two large industrial cities – Kutaisi and Rustavi – show that social and economic reintegration is shot through with contradictions, which in turn determine the low efficiency of reintegration. Significant numbers of return migrants are unemployed or work in discriminatory labour conditions, which do not correspond to their education and work experience. A significant share of these will be forced to migrate in the near future. Many subjective factors prevent return migrants from implementing their business projects. They accumulate savings, which they brought for this purpose, and target these savings. Research has established that it is necessary to enforce state support for return migrants by introducing institutional changes. This should increase the efficiency of investment activity on the basis of migrants’ remittances and this should create new jobs.CARIM-East is co-financed by the European University Institute and the European Union

Readmission, return and reintegration in Georgia

The issue of regulating migratory processes has drawn increasing attention in Georgia over the last few years. Entities are being established within different ministries and normative acts for regulating this sphere are being published. Recipient countries have to deport illegal immigrants back to their countries of origin. However, there are now attempts to make their return to the homeland, including, inter alia, their deportation, as humane as possible complying with internationally recognized human rights principles.Consortium for Applied Research on International Migration (CARIM-East) is co-financed by the European University Institute and the European Unio

Vliyaniye trudovoi emigratsii na demoekonomicheskoye razvitie Gruzii v postsovetskom periode

Russian version of CARIM-East RR2012/29CARIM-East: Creating an Observatory of Migration East of EuropeПроблемы, поднятые в докладе А.Бобровой, действительно актуальны. Они отражают основные «болевые места» связанные с втягиванием Беларуси в глобальные миграционные процессы в условиях нарастания как мирового, так и национального экономического кризиса и доминированием административно-командных методов и механизмов решения всех социально-экономических вопросов в Беларуси. В этом смысле доклад достиг своей цели, а главные вопросы, затронутые в нем – описание особенностей рынка труда в Беларуси, уязвимых социальных групп населения, выявление тенденций в миграции сельских и городских жителей, – были так или иначе освещены. Сделанный автором заключительный вывод о том, что «вБеларуси не наблюдается острой социальной напряженности, в том числе обусловленной миграционными перемещениями» (Боброва 2012: 26), также можно считать достаточно обоснованным, особенно если, в основном, руководствоваться, как это делает автор, государственно-правовыми документами, в которых затрагиваются вопросы регулирования рынка труда и миграции, и государственной статистикой миграционных процессов, согласно которой имеет место «рост въезда внешних трудовых мигрантов и снижение их выезда». Вместе с тем проблема трудовой миграции и ее последствия для Республики Беларусь представляется намного более сложной, требующей более аналитического к ней подхода в рамках определенной методологии и привлечения более широкого круга источников, нежели это было сделано А.Бобровой. Попробуем разобраться в этих вопросах, выделив главное.CARIM-East is co-financed by the European University Institute and the European Union

The Impact of Labor Emigration on the Demographic and Economic Development of Georgia in the Post-Soviet Period

English version of CARIM-East RR2012/11CARIM-East: Creating an Observatory of Migration East of EuropeThe deep economic, political, social and cultural crisis faced by Georgia in the post-Soviet period negatively affected the territorial mobility of the population. A catastrophic reduction in the resources required for demographic growth led to sub-replacement fertility. At this point, emigration processes of extremely unnatural intensity, including labour migration, became of the greatest importance. The authors stipulate that a reduction in the negative impact of labor migration on the demographic situation will result in a switch from sub-replacement to replacement level fertility. In the post-Soviet period the Georgian economy collapsed, standards of living deteriorated and many people went to work abroad. Despite the numerous difficulties associated with emigration, its impact on the economy of Georgia was multilateral. Remittances sent by labour migrants to their home country are an important source of poverty reduction for Georgia. Their impact on small business development is positive. In Georgia, the unemployment rate has fallen and there have been positive structural changes in the balance of labour demand and supply. As discussed in the present paper, the harmonization of economic and migration policy includes many important reforms, including the facilitation of the migrants’ return.CARIM-East is co-financed by the European University Institute and the European Union

Problemy sotsial'no-ekonomicheskoi reintegratsii vernuvshikhsya migrantov v Gruzii

CARIM-East: Creating an Observatory of Migration East of EuropeThis is the translated version of CARIM-East RR 2013/15Исследованием выявлено, что, несмотря на экономическое оживление, конъюнктура рынка труда Грузии и стоимость рабочей силы не способствуют снижению высокой интенсивности трудовой эмиграции, поэтому большое значение придается содействию процессу возвращения эмигрантов на родину и социально-экономической эффективности этого процесса. Выборочное исследование вернувшихся мигрантов в столице Грузии и больших промышленных городах — Кутаиси и Рустави показало, что процесс социальной и экономической реинтеграции связан со значительными противоречиями, что, в свою очередь, определяет низкую эффективность реинтеграции. Существенное количество вернувшихся мигрантов - безработные или же работают в дискриминационных условиях труда, не соответствующих их уровню образования и полученному опыту. Значительная их часть будет вынуждена в ближайшем будущем вновь выехать в трудовую эмиграцию. Многие субъективные факторы препятствуют осуществлению вернувшимися мигрантами планируемых бизнес-проектов, аккумулированию привезенной ими с этой целю суммы и целевому ее использованию. Исследованием установлено, что необходимо усиление государственной поддержки вернувшимся путем осуществления институциональных преобразований для того, чтобы на базе денежных переводов мигрантов повысить эффективность инвестиционной деятельности с целью создания новых рабочих мест.CARIM-East is co-financed by the European University Institute and the European Union

Refugees and displaced persons in Georgia

Forced migration is the most pressing problem in terms of the territorial mobility of the Georgian population. Forced migration has varied over time. Mass-scale transfer of the local population by conquerors and forced migration to other countries (Iran, Turkey and Russia) took place in the past. But there was also further organized and disorganized migrations from these countries and individuals sought asylum in Georgia. Of course, we will examine only those flows that currently present a significant problem.Consortium for Applied Research on International Migration (CARIM-East) is co-financed by the European University Institute and the European Unio

Human trafficking in Georgia : official data on human trafficking

One can safely say that statistics on human trafficking in Georgia do not exist. The number of cases identified and recognized by the court is insignificant compared to the mass of cases that contain clear evidence of human trafficking. According to experts, the victims of human trafficking avoid acknowledging this fact for various reasons. There are many cases when law enforcement agencies avoid or do not fight against human trafficking appropriately. 1Consortium for Applied Research on International Migration (CARIM-East) is co-financed by the European University Institute and the European Unio

Statistical data collection on migration in Georgia

The national recording system for international migration in Georgia is essentially unregulated. This is due both to the complexity of migration registration and by the grave situation in the country at the time of statistics reform in Georgia. Unfortunately, in the post-Soviet years, with economic collapse and political chaos statistical registration in the country was disrupted and even if social and economic recovery started only recently there, statistics were not relevant to the contemporary situation. As to migration flows, the strict registration of people?s movement was still in effect in the first years of the post-Soviet period. Statistical services received tags from so-called ?registration sheets.? Migrants could not change their place of residence without applying to the passport service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Liberalization of people?s movement given the absence of a population register made the process of registration unmanageable. Today, few changes have been implemented to improve the data collection system. The legal basis of official statistics is extremely weak. The current law on statistics is a copy of other countries? laws. It is imperfect and does not provide the necessary information, not allowing that information to be obtained or processed properly. The abolition of statistical services in administrative regions in order to ?economize? on staff and to reduce expenses on statistics substantially worsened the obtaining of primary statistical information being Georgia characterized by sharp regional differences. It is unfortunate that current statistical service is more oriented to the demands of consumers outside the country. The statistics reflecting the situation inside the country does not come close to the demands of scientists Linkages between the Department of Statistics of Georgia and academic circles are very weak. Against a background of general reforms, the reforms made in the system of statistics are ineffective. Its personnel are few and frequently poorly motivated. It is obvious that the statistical service is in need of legal, organizational and structural reform with functional expansion and better human resources.Consortium for Applied Research on International Migration (CARIM-East) is co-financed by the European University Institute and the European Unio

Circular migration in Georgia

A critical limitation in addressing circular migration trends and characteristics of circular migration from Georgia is the lack of appropriate statistics to quantitatively measure and assess the phenomenon. The current system in this respect is disastrous. In Georgia, even the balance of external migration cannot be established, there are practically no statistical data as regards territorial population mobility. In this regard, the immediate substantial reform of the official migration statistics and its provision with respective resources is indispensable. On the other hand, migration research in general, including research on circular migration, requires significant development. It needs to acquire a systemic nature, as the existing incidental studies are fragmented and completely inadequate compared to the significance of the problem. Given the current situation, this note will first address the importance of developing and supporting circular migration schemes for Georgia. Second, it will offer a number of crucial measures to be inserted in rational and efficient circular migration policies.Consortium for Applied Research on International Migration (CARIM-East) is co-financed by the European University Institute and the European Unio