M. Tukhashvili. - Demographic and vocational qualification structure of Georgia's labor emigrants – Problems of Demography and Sociology (Collection of Scientific Works, Volume II). – Tbilisi: Universali – 2004 – p.p. 165-171.

In the 1990's the developed crisis that gripped the whole country and drastic fall in living standards entailed intensive labor emigration of the population of Georgia. On the basis of the information provided by family members of the labor emigrants (so-called "substitute respondents") we studied the main streams of labor migrants directed from Tbilisi, Rustavi, Tkhibuli and Akhalkalaki towards Russia (39 % of the total migration flow), USA (14 %), Greece (14 %) and Germany (13 %).

The survey results showed that 40 % of labor emigrants is women. The sharp accumulation has not been observed among emigrants. 35 % of them is married and a significant part of them is in active reproductive age. Reproduction processes among the labor emigrants have been retarded. Current demographic crisis in Georgia is being profound even more due to labor emigration. All ethnic groups of Georgia participate in labor emigration.

According to the survey results the education level of labor emigrants is unduly high. Among them 44 % has higher education and in Tbilisi and Rustavi this rate made up more than 50 %. Population emigration significantly lessens demographic and labor potentials of Georgia. In the recipient countries the employment of those who went abroad to work is extremely discriminatory because of illegal nature of labor emigration. Only 17 % managed to be employed in their specialties. Most part of them is engaged in the low-skilled and heavy physical works (assistant workers, nurses, nannies, cleaners and so on).

The study found that labor emigration is still rather steady and significant reduction of its scale is not expected. Under such conditions it is necessary to legitimize labor emigration and improve information about the demands for labor force on the foreign labor market, to strengthen the combat against trafficking.

M. Tukhashvili. - Contemporary migratory situation and study objectives of population territorial movement in Georgia - Migration processes in post-soviet Georgia.- Collection of works. – Tbilisi: Lega - 2003 - р.p. 5-11 – in Georgian language.

After the restoration of independence the following essential points can be outlined in the population movement of Georgia:

• Constant mass emigration process has begun and it is on-going to date. At the initial stage the non-Georgian population departed abroad more intensively; then the Georgians emigration intensity gradually increased;
• Because of ethnic conflicts and ethnic cleansing the forced migration has included a large territory and the population was forcibly displaced within the country and dispersed in other countries as well;
• A high intensity labor migration has developed;
• Urbanization process became retarded; anti-urbanization phenomena arose; resettlement system was gripped by crisis;
• Labor pendulum migration has dropped to minimum;
• Intensity and directions of educational migration have changed;
• Domestic organized migrations have practically stopped; the potential of organized resettlement of twice deported "Turk-Meskhetians" in Georgia has increased twice.

In the situation of intensive territorial mobility of the population the migration optimization gains big importance. That is impossible because migration statistics are disordered and migration processes have not been studied at a proper level. It is necessary to enhance attention toward migration and elaborate scientifically the mechanism of its management. Institutions and separate researchers engaged in migration study must play a particular role in the scientific study of migration processes. Namely, there are preconditions for setting up Population Migration Study Center at the department of Labor Economics (TSU). At first, the center should consist of a small group of researchers. Then after derived results of conducted researches it will enlarge and turn into a serious scientific team for solving migration-related problems.

 

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