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Name of the Asset | Development on the Move: Measuring and Optimizing the Economic and Social Impacts of Migration in the Republic of Macedonia
Type of Asset | Working Paper
Date | April 2010
Summary
Macedonia has a long history of migration but little is known about the number of migrants who move, their experiences abroad, and the impact of their absence on the families and communities they leave behind. It is also unclear how return migration affects development in Macedonia. This study analyzes the key issues and challenges of migration in order to make policy recommendations for how to maximize its benefits.
Conclusions are drawn primarily from new primary research carried out in 2008 and 2009, including interviews with key stakeholders, and data derived from a new, nationally representative, in-depth household survey, designed specifically for the project.
The study found that there are 400,000 to 500,000 migrants, scattered over 35 countries, who tend to depart as young working-age adults and remain abroad for five to ten years, with a primary objective of earning money. The majority of absent and returned Macedonian migrants have low or medium levels of education. 2008 saw an increase of 23 times in remittances from migrants, amounting to ten percent of Macedonia’s GDP. No significant differences were found in the gender distribution of household tasks between non-migrant and returned migrant households.
The paper suggests that the existing Macedonian policy framework around migration is in need of considerable improvement, along four areas of reform, including a) pursuing the reforms necessary for the EU accession of Macedonia, b) improving the attractiveness of the country as a place to invest and to live, c) improving migration’s impacts and d) engaging the diaspora.
Authors:
- Ms. Maja Micevska Scharf, EduCon Research
- Mr. Zoran Nikolovski, EduCon Research
- Ms. Suncica Sazdovska, EduCon Research
- Mr. Vanco Uzunov, EduCon Research
Country and/or Region | Macedonia
Name of the Program | Global Research Project 'Development on the Move: Measuring and Optimizing the Economic and Social Impacts of Migration', conducted by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) and the Global Development Network (GDN)
Funder(s) | Australian Agency for International Development, the Austrian Ministry of Finance, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NORAD and the UK Department for International Development (DFID)
Download the Full Study here
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