After the war ends and the borders reopen, more than a million Ukrainians may leave to work abroad

After the war ends and the borders reopen, 1 to 1.5 million citizens may leave the country to work abroad.

This was stated by Vasyl Voskoboinyk, head of the Office of Migration Policy.

“Our estimate is that 1 to 1.5 million people may go abroad to work. On the one hand, I would even welcome exactly that kind of pendulum labor migration that we had before the start of the fighting, when people left for three months, six months, even a year, worked, earned money, sent it back here to Ukraine to support their families living here, and then returned, found work in Ukraine, and continued working here. I believe labor migration is a benefit compared with the possibility that after the war people may pack up and go to join their families who have already settled abroad, and family reunification will take place there. That is a more frightening option for us than simple labor migration. So I view labor migration positively. I understand that it gives people the opportunity to earn money for some period and support their families, while still remaining rooted in Ukraine,” the official said.

He added that the authorities should prepare for such public behavior and think about how to protect citizens abroad and what conditions should be created so that Ukrainians would want to return.

Earlier, media outlets wrote that in many towns and villages in western Ukraine, the population has fallen sharply, as people are leaving for work in Europe.

Meanwhile, according to statistics, only 10–15% of Ukrainians who are currently abroad plan to return after the war ends.