Emigration and diaspora in Belarus

Abstract

emigration policy, unlike policy with regards to immigration, still needs refinement. Policy with regards to emigrants, just as in case of diaspora, is still to large extent theory-, rather than practice-oriented. The same is not true for the current immigration policy. Unlike previous programs, the current one implies not only assistance in settlement of immigrants and their integration into Belarusian society, but also a differentiated approach to migrants’ categories, based on national interests. This means that, first of all, one of the measures is to develop target-oriented regional programs, aimed at migrant influx to the geographic areas experiencing workforce deficit. Second, preference is given to persons under the age of 40 and having higher or secondary education. Besides, the Department of Citizenship and Migration of the Ministry of Interior identified countries from where migration is desirable: Ukraine, Russia, Baltic and CIS countries with Russian-speaking population, as well as undesirable donor countries: Africa and most of South East Asia