University University ””Ss Cyril and MethodiusSs Cyril and Methodius”” in Skopje in Skopje

INSTITUTE OF ECONOMICSINSTITUTE OF ECONOMICS

Emigration of Macedonia to Switzerland – changes and current situation

Verica Janeska

Emigration in pre transitional periodEmigration in pre transitional period

Three periods can be identified: From 1945 to early sixties – in the period 1953-1961 about

164,000 persons left the country (out of them127,000 persons of Turkish nationality).

The second period (1961-1975) - About 47,000 persons permanently left the country and in 1971 about 56,500 persons (Population Census data), were registered as Macedonian citizens abroad (96.4% of them were migrant workers).

The third period (1976-1990) - is characterised by:- Decrease of employment abroad (1976-1985) and its re-growth in the second half of the eighties; - More intensive return of migrant workers; - Reunification of families of those staying behind;- Transformation of temporary migration into permanent one.

Emigration in pre transitional periodEmigration in pre transitional period

Main characteristics of the emigration abroad: About 85.600 persons temporary employed abroad through the

Employment Agency in the period 1967-1990 (out of which 63.6% until1975, and 25.5% in the period 1985-1990);

In the same period (1967-1990) the number of the registered returnees amounts to 55,245 persons.

In the period 1971-1981 the number of migrant family members

increases from 2.016 to 42.958 persons.

With the Population Census 1981, about 19.500 persons were

registered as born abroad.

Emigration in pre transitional periodEmigration in pre transitional period

Main destination countries:

1981 1994 1981 1994

TOTAL 100922 173611 100.0 100.0 72.0Australia 34651 58488 34.3 33.7 68.8USA 9870 8958 9.8 5.2 -9.2Kanada 3876 7213 3.8 4.2 86.1Germany 28896 34393 28.6 19.8 19.0Switzerland 6285 23775 6.2 13.7 278.3Sweden 4807 5007 4.8 2.9 4.2Source: Population Censuses 1981 and 1994, State Statistical Office, Republic of Macedonia.

Emigration abroad from Macedonia - main destination countriesNumber Share (in %) Increase /

decrease (%)

Macedonian citizens in SwitzerlandMacedonian citizens in Switzerland

1971* 1981 1994 1981 1994

TOTAL 857 6285 23775 100.0 100.0

Employed abroad 857 5476 12193 87.1 51.3

Family members 809 11582 12.9 48.7

Share (in %)

*Without family membersSource: Population Censuses 1981 and 1994, State Statistical Office, Republic of Macedonia.

Macedonian citizens in Switzerland Number

Emigration in the period of transitionEmigration in the period of transition

The overall number of Macedonian emigrants abroad may be estimated at more than 250,000 persons.

Macedonian emigration can be classified in three types:Permanent family emigration or family reunificationTemporary and circular economic emigrationCircular economic emigration for other reasons (education, training, visits of the family members abroad and so on).

With Population census1994 were registered 173,611 Macedonian citizens abroad (out of them 46,000 have left the country in the period1990-1994). According Population census data 2002 – 35,000 Macedonian citizens have been abroad for less than one year. Out of them about 6000 persons were registered in Switzerland.

Emigration in the period of transitionEmigration in the period of transition

The number of Macedonian citizens in the EU receiving countries increase from 34,000 (1996) to 183,000 persons (2012) – Eurostat migration stock data

In Germany, Switzerland and Italy, in 2010 were registered about 220,000 Macedonian citizens (Eurostat and other data sources) i.e. 247,800 (World Bank data). Demographic and the socio-economic characteristics of emigrants:

Increased share of family members in the total number of emigrants Increased share of women in the gender structure of the emigrants

Significant increase of children, young population (15-29) and women’s fertile contingent.

Macedonian citizens in SwitzerlandMacedonian citizens in Switzerland

Total number of imigrants in Switzerland

Macedonian citizens in

Switzerland

Share (in %) of Macedonian citizens in

total imigration of Switzerland

1994 1 332 493 24 891 1,871995 1 363 590 39 540 2,901996 1 369 494 45 234 3,301997 1 375 158 48 604 3,531998 1 383 645 51 142 3,701999 1 406 630 54 042 3,842000 1 424 370 56 092 3,942001 1 447 553 58 549 4,042002 1 476 966 59 926 4,062003 1 500 907 60 676 4,042004 1 524 663 61 008 4,002005 1 541 912 60 898 3,952006 1 554 527 60 362 3,882007 1 602 093 60 184 3,762008 1 669 715 59 909 3,592009 1 714 004 60 043 3,502010 1 766 277 60 426 3,422011 1 815 994 60 741 3,342012 1 869 969 61 668 3,30

Macedonian citizens in Switzerland, 1994 - 2012

Source: Swiss Federal Statistical Office

Macedonian citizens in SwitzerlandMacedonian citizens in Switzerland

Live births in Switzerland from parents with Macedonian citizenship - 9781 in the period 1995-2004 and 6484 from 2008 to 2012

Macedonian citizens in SwitzerlandMacedonian citizens in Switzerland

Macedonian citizens in SwitzerlandMacedonian citizens in Switzerland

Educational structure - In 2000 more than half of the Macedonian citizens in Switzerland were

without completed education and in process of education.

- Among those who have completed their education, the share of migrants with low level of education is dominant (The Swiss Federal Statistical Office data for 2000)

Ethnic structure - The share of Albanians was and remain dominant, while the share of

Macedonians is relatively smaller. - Out of the 5671 Macedonian citizens residing in Switzerland up to one year 82.9% were Albanians and 12.6% Macedonians (Population Census data, 2000)

Transnational activities of the Macedonian citizens in

Switzerland

In the case of the Macedonian emigration in Switzerland they are manifested in the causes as well as consequences and implications of these migratory movements.

Having in mind the previously elaborated changes in the scope and the characteristics of the migration contingent in Switzerland they should be seen in the light of the transformation of the temporary emigration into permanent one.

Transnational activities of the Macedonian citizens in

Switzerland

Family reunification and established migration networks were one of the main determinants of the big changes in the scope and migration contingent structure of the Macedonian emigration in Switzerland.

According the place of origin majority of the Macedonian citizens in Switzerland are from North-West part of the country, particularly from the Region of Polog.

Although and other regions in the country were faced with high unemployment and low standard of living, due to the established migration networks only the Region of Polog witnessed large scale of emigration in Switzerland.

Transnational activities of the Macedonian citizens in

Switzerland

Macedonian experience in relation of the economic transnational activities

of the emigration, including the emigration in Switzerland are as follows:

The cases of remittances being invested in business (business creation, investment in social services, corporations) are rare.

Almost all available research regarding the usage of remittances show that they are mostly used for the purchase of land, building or renovation of houses/flats, the purchase of vehicles and household interior, organisation of ceremonies.

(Recent survey on remittances in 2008 targeting 2,797 households in Macedonia found out that remittances are mainly used for durable goods, housing renovation, and purchase of farms, land improvement and ceremonies).

Transnational activities of the Macedonian citizens in

Switzerland

Macedonian experience in relation of the economic transnational activities

of the emigration, including the emigration in Switzerland are as follows:

Significant impact of remittances on the labour market in terms of employment increase and unemployment decrease in the regions of migrants’ origin cannot be identified. Polog was and remains the one of the regions with highest unemployment rate.

When the temporary migration is transformed into permanent one

there are no positive benefits of the acquired knowledge, skills and competences of the migrants.

Transnational activities of the Macedonian citizens in

Switzerland

Macedonian experience in relation of the economic transnational activities

of the emigration, including the emigration in Switzerland are as follows:

Remittances positively influence consumption levels and standard of living of the migrant households, but with the reunification of the families there is gradual decrease of their inflow.

The macro-economic impact of remittances and total private transfers from abroad are also positive. For example, the three usually used indicators shows that on average for the period 2003-2008, officially recorded remittances amounted:

- 10.4% of the GDP

- over 50.8% of the trade deficit and

- they were almost three times higher than the foreign direct investments.

Transnational activities of the Macedonian citizens in

Switzerland

Macedonian experience in relation of the economic transnational activities

of the emigration, including the emigration in Switzerland are as follows:

The case of the Region of Polog shows that the influence of the economic emigration on the socio-economic development is manifested in only short-term, insufficiently expressed development benefits.

The continued increase of emigration for almost five decades did not contribute to the substantial change in the development of this region i.e. in overcoming the problem of insufficient development.

Migration PolicyMigration Policy

Resolution on Migration Policy for the period 2009-2014 (2008) Action plan on the Resolution on Migration Policy for the period 2009-2014 (2009)

In these documents set of measures and activities concerning emigration abroad are foreseen:Measures for application of the legal obligation for the reporting of departures / arrivals of the Macedonian citizens upon leaving/returning to the country; Diaspora mapping and creation of a database for distinct categories of migrants (businessmen, scientists, students, artists, etc.); Supporting temporary emigration and circulation of the labour force; Measures for facilitation of return of citizens from abroad; Creation of policy for reduction of intellectual emigration and return of highly educated persons from abroad; Measures concerning legal transfer of remittances and its productive use;Mobilization of the development potentials of the Diaspora for improvement of the local economic development.

Migration PolicyMigration Policy

In the Resolution on Migration Policy for the period 2009-2014 there are no particular measures and activities for the emigration in the receiving countries with greater number of immigrants from Macedonia, including Switzerland.

In future the Government should put more attention on the measures for creation of “social fields” that link Macedonia with the destination countries.

These measures should be directed on the improvement of the transnational economic, political and socio-cultural activities

of the migrations.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTIONTHANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION