EXPECTED EMIGRATION OF STUDENTS FROM GEORGIA
EXPECTED EMIGRATION OF STUDENTS FROM GEORGIA

Summary/Abstract: The demographic development of Georgia is considerably determined by emigration processes. During 1989-2014, in the period between the general population censuses, Georgia’s population decreased by one third. The process of depopulation can be suspended by the acceleration of the country’s economic development, rationalization of management and study of migration processes and the elaboration of proper migration policy. Therefore, the study of the students` intention to emigrate is of great importance. The work is based on the studies carried out by the Center for Migration Studies of Tbilisi State University and by the Institute of Demography and Sociology in 2014 and 2018. It has been established that the intention to emigrate still remains active among students. Apart from the willingness to study, the willingness to get a job tends to increase, with the share of the individuals unconditionally returning to Georgia decreasing. In particular, it has been established that if their intention to emigrate is achieved, only half of the respondents may return to their homeland that, in the long run, will further aggravate the processes of depopulation and lead to the sharp shortage of qualified workforce on Georgia’s labor market. As a result, the local labor market may become saturated with low-skilled workforce coming from the countries with high population growth rates that may considerably weaken the country’s economic development, upset its ethno-demographic balance and further aggravate the existing acute ethnic conflicts. Therefore, as a major solution for reduction of the high emigration potential of the young people in Georgia may serve restoration of the balance between the labor and educational markets, elaboration of programs to support young specialists and provision of appropriate conditions for enhancing their creative activity. In addition, it is important to keep the youth actively informed about the actual conditions related to emigration. Here, mass media has to play a key role.

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