Over the last two months, more people have left Lithuania than arrived, according Statistics Lithuania.
Recovering Western European economies are starting to attract Lithuanian migrants despite coronavirus risks. While most go for seasonal work, many are likely to stay longer, economists say.
Employment agencies observe that the flow of Lithuanian migrant workers leaving for seasonal work abroad have reached the pre-pandemic levels.
Marketing manager for the recruitment agency CV Online, Rita Karavaitienė, says people currently prefer countries like the Netherlands, which have looser coronavirus restrictions and are looking for workers. More and more companies from abroad are looking to hire long-term or seasonal jobs.
Jobs there pay better than in Lithuania. After Brexit the Netherlands is a more attractive destination than the UK. Norway and Denmark are still in relative stagnation in terms of jobs.
Economist Aleksandras Izgorodinas told LRT.lt that Lithuanian workers who go for seasonal work in Southern Europe are likely to return – these countries rely on tourism, so their economic recovery has been slow to pick up. This is not the case for Western Europe and Scandinavian countries, where economies rely more on industry.
Lithuanian companies are hiring locals for seasonal work, Karavaitienė noted as it is too late to look for labour abroad.
News from LRT.lt
