Armenians emigrate not only due to unemployment , but also low pay, according to study financed by OSCE Office

YEREVAN, 28 November 2007 - Unemployment and better pay abroad are the main reasons labour migrants leave Armenia to seek work abroad, according to a new study presented today by the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

The study, which covers the period 2005-07, gives a picture of the dynamics of labour migration, providing valuable information to policy-makers and the public. It follows an earlier study covering the period 2002-05.

"We hope that this study will be a useful instrument for state officials, academics, international organizations, NGOs and potential migrants to accurately assess the realities and find possible solutions to existing problems," said Marc Bojanic, Deputy Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

Almost half, or 46.5 per cent, of the surveyed migrants said that unemployment was the main reason to leave Armenia to work abroad while 43 per cent stressed that jobs in Armenia do not pay enough. The study also showed that rural residents are increasingly migrating, and that Russia remains the most popular destination. The percentage of female migrants dropped from 14.1 per cent in 2002-04 to 6.5 per cent in 2005-06, according to the survey.

The survey was conducted by the non-governmental organization Advanced Social Technologies with OSCE Office support.

The survey will be available at //www.osce.org/yerevan. Hard copies in Armenian and English can be requested from the OSCE Office.