Analytics, Demography, Direct Speech, Education and Science, Interview, Latvia, Society

As reported, a study by Hazans published this past September said that approximately 200,000 residents had left Latvia over the past ten years. Official statistics, however, mention only 33,000 emigrants, writes LETA.

Hazans informs that, based on the survey's findings, 9% of residents aged 18 to 65 plan to leave the country in the near future, which makes up around 120,000 people. Another 17% (about 220,000 people) said that it was possible that they would emigrate.

"Even if we assume that half of the first group leaves the country and one-fifth of the other group, this alone makes more than 100,000 emigrants. Therefore, emigration en masse will continue for three to four years yet. And that is regardless of the economic recovery, because every third of those who plan to leave say they will do so for reasons other than economic," stressed Hazans.

The continuing "brain drain" is becoming an urgent problem in Latvia, because at the moment every third emigrant from Latvia has higher education, and this proportion tends to increase (before the crisis, the proportion was just slightly over 20%). Moreover, it is students who are the most willing to leave Latvia. The study also reveals that the number of residents aged 18 to 24 is by 80,000 smaller than the official figure.

"We have nothing to replace these people with, even if we allow immigration. In that case, maybe 3,000 to 4,000 people will be arriving in Latvia each year, which will not compensate for the large numbers of emigrants," notes Hazans.

Hazans also informs that, although the data on emigration to Germany after it opened its labor market are not available yet, it appears that many residents of Latvia are keen to go and work in Germany.

Also, more people are leaving Latvia now than before the crisis. For already a third consecutive year, Latvia loses 40,000 people each year, while the average annual number of emigrants in 2004-2008 was 16,000.