The departure of the population, especially the young and able-bodied, is a pressing problem in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
It is assumed that the trend of population emigration will continue in the coming years, with increased intensity due to the facilitation of procedures for immigration to other countries and due to the need for labor in developed European countries.
BiH already lacks labor force, so employers have started “importing” workers from as far as Bangladesh and Nepal, while workers from BiH are leaving every day because the salaries offered by employers here are insufficient to survive the month.
Departures are especially pronounced during the summer season. In recent months, there has been a frenzy for seasonal workers on the Adriatic, especially in the hospitality industry. Social networks are flooded with advertisements in which restaurant owners, with the indication “urgent”, are looking for workers and promise salaries of 1,000 to 1,500 euros plus bonuses.
As confirmed by the Ministry of Interior of Croatia, from the beginning of this year until May 31st, the most residence and work permits were issued to citizens of BiH, more than 16,000.
“Of these, 9,480 were issued for new employment, 5,223 for the extension of permits, and 1,754 for seasonal workers,” stated the Croatian Ministry of Interior, reports Bosnainfo.
Almost 60 percent of work permits were issued for jobs in the field of construction, while 15 percent were for catering and tourism. Namely, in 2020, 33,414 people immigrated to Croatia from abroad, and 34,046 people moved abroad.
Of the total number of people immigrated to Croatia, 28.2 percent immigrated from BiH. Unlike Croatia, from which people emigrate, but almost the same number of people move to that country, the situation in BiH is much worse. Only a few people decide to move here, and the exodus of workers is increasing. In addition to Croatia, in the first four months of 2022, 6,390 work permits were issued to BiH citizens to work in Slovenia. In the first four months, 162 medical workers from BiH went to Germany, only through the “Triple Win” program, Radio Sarajevo writes.
E.Dz.
