KYIV. Feb 9 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The development of a new migration policy strategy in Ukraine will reduce the outflow of labor resources abroad, employees of economic programs of the Ukrainian Institute for the Future (UIF) are sure.

As UIF economic consultant Yulia Samayeva said during the presentation of a new migration policy strategy at the Interfax-Ukraine press center, at present, according to rough estimates, Ukraine annually loses about $30 billion due to the outflow of labor resources abroad.

At the same time, the main reasons for the departure of Ukrainians to work abroad are low wages in Ukraine, the lack of work in their specialty and the difficult economic situation in the country.

"Every year, 300,000-400,000 Ukrainians go to work abroad [mainly to Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, etc.], where there are special programs to attract our citizens: simplification of entry and stay rules, social packages, and benefits of a student and school attraction program… After ten years, Ukraine may lose about 5 million of the working population," the expert notes, emphasizing that there are no reliable figures reflecting real labor migration, "which reflects the indifference of the authorities to the problem of the loss of the able-bodied population."

In this context, according to Director of Economic Programs of the Ukrainian Institute for the Future Anatoliy Amelin, Ukraine today needs to develop a new migration policy strategy that reduces the risk of losing Ukrainian labor resources.

In particular, such a strategy should be based on stimulating business activities in regions with the significant labor outflow (regions of Western Ukraine), developing joint public-private projects, improving the quality of education, launching a full-fledged pension reform and insurance healthcare with a possibility of participation in it by migrants from other countries, as well as adaptation training for migrants and their families in Ukraine.

Accordingly, as Samayeva says, the action plan to reduce the outflow of labor resources from Ukraine, which will be based on the new strategy, must necessarily contain two parallel processes, namely, the return of Ukrainian migrants to their homeland and the attraction of labor migrants from other countries.

"As for the return of Ukrainian migrants to Ukraine, it is necessary to create a comprehensive program containing opportunities for re-assimilation in their homeland, loans, grants for starting business, buying real estate, benefits, investment programs and information support," Amelin said.

At the same time, the attraction of labor migrants from other countries should be based on simplification of entry and stay rules, labor registration, simplification of integration and adaptation.

According to experts, these issues should be addressed both at the national and regional levels.