NEARLY 90% ARMENIAN LABOR MIGRANTS LEAVES FOR RUSSIA

NOYAN TAPAN

JU LY 17

A discussion under the title Efficient Labor Migration Management in
Armenia: Migration and Development, Migration and Money Transfers took
place on July 17 in Yerevan on the initiative of the International
Labor Organization and with the financial support of the European
Union. According to the statement spread by the organizers, over
760-780 thousand people emigrated from Armenia in 1991-1998, which
makes 20% country’s population as of 1991. The study conducted by OSCE
in 2002-2005 shows that over 90% labor migrants leaves for Russia,
in particular, RF capital Moscow.

Boris Kharatian, the Vice-Chairman of the Confederation of Trade Unions
of Armenia, said that one of the reasons of labor migration is not
finding a job in the homeland, the other is low salary. According
to Gagik Makarian, the Executive Director of the Republican Union
of Employers, in the past years the Union has been exerting efforts
especially to provide young people with jobs to prevent their possible
emigration. For that purpose the Union assists establishment of
educational institutions-employer permanent contact. G. Makarian said
that employers are willing to hire honest and duteous specialists.