news agency Infotag

MAJORITY OF MOLDOVAN CITIZENS, WORKING ABROAD, HAVE LEGAL STATUS

About 80% of Moldovan migrants, who came to work to the EU member countries for a long period, received the legal status of  migrants, who work on the basis of labor contracts. In the CIS 39.6% of migrants work on the basis of labor contracts and 56.9% - without any labor contracts”, the Survey on Moldovan Migrants, which was presented on a news conference on Friday in Infotag, say.

Executive Director of the Center for Analysis and Sociological, Politological and Psychological Studies (CASPPS) Ruslan Svintov remarked that the survey was made in partnership with the International Agency for Source Country Information (IASCI) of Austria in the frame of the Devinpro Moldova 2009/2010 project.

In Svintov’s words, 2300 respondents from Moldova’s border localities participated in the poll, which objective was to analyze Moldovan migrants’ money transfers and investments.

IASCI Director Nicolaas de Zwager considers that in contrast to their colleagues from other countries, Moldovan migrants can make money savings. 

According to the IASCI Director, 80% of them accumulated financial resources, which they sent home in the form of money transfers. However, he considers that it is bad that the major part of these financial resources is used to buy imported goods and it means that the money leaves the country. Thus, 58.3% of all the financial resources, transferred to the country in 2009,  were used for consumer needs and only  22.2% - for investments. 

In his words, 55% of the Moldovan migrants to the CIS countries  keep their money mainly in Moldova, whereas only 24% of those working in the European Union keep their money in their motherland. The financial resources, sent to Moldova are kept predominantly at home (65%) and the IASCI Director considers that this money are lost for the society.

Over a half of Moldovan gastarbeiters intend to invest their money in Moldova in construction, agriculture, trade and rendering services. About 70% of the respondents said that they are going to return to Moldova, as their permanent residence.

According to Nicolaas de Zwager, over 60% of the respondents said that the main objective of their work abroad was to save money for purchasing apartments; 22.2% - to provide themselves with a constant job in Moldova; 3,6% - to provide pensions.

In his opinion. Moldovan migrants cannot be viewed as victims, as their stay abroad was successful, they worked much, they had important income sources and  it facilitated the development of the Moldovan national economy.

The survey testifies that in 2009 Moldovan migrants send about 448 million Euros to their native country.