Index.hu reports that around 1.2 million Hungarians plan to work abroad in the future. This rate is particularly high regarding the youth: nearly 40 per cent of them plan to seek work abroad. The report of index.hu is based on the representative survey of Publicus.
Generally, each respondent has around six family members or acquaintances who have left the country, and, in fact, this is the same number of the Hungarians working abroad permanently. 71 per cent of the respondents are involved in this topic: they are the ones whose family members and acquaintances work abroad permanently. It is generally believed that the increasing emigration is due to the low salaries, the Fidesz Government, and the bad economic situation. Six out of ten respondents experience a shortage of labour in their surroundings.
Respondents have an average of 5.6 family members or acquaintances who work abroad permanently. This means a slight decrease compared to a survey of two years earlier. This means that some of the Hungarians working abroad either came home or emigrated for good. Fidesz supporters are less involved in this phenomenon than the average of 71 per cent: only 60 per cent of them have stated that they have family members or acquaintances living or working abroad. 83 per cent of the Jobbik supporters, 78 per cent of the MSZP supporters and 73 per cent of the indecisives have stated the same.
As we move from the youth towards the elderly, less and less people are involved. 85 per cent of the respondents under the age of 30 are involved, while this rate is only 56 per cent in the case of the respondents older than 60. Regarding learning, people graduated from primary school are the least involved (61%), while people having profession, matura or degree are far more involved (73%, 75% and 78%, respectively).
15 per cent of the respondents plan to work abroad in the future – this means around 1.2 people. This rate is particularly high among youth – 37 per cent of them plan to seek work abroad. This means an additional 530,000 potential emigrants younger than 30. Regarding middle-aged people, this rate is 13-15 per cent, while in the case of people older than 60 it is only 2 per cent.
People planning to work abroad marked different reasons: low salary (55%), uncertain future (28%) and Hungarian politics and public life (27%) were the main reasons of leaving the country. Many also mentioned (6-13%) the unemployment rate, the uncertainty, and the hopelessness. However, professional challenge, gaining experience, exploring the world or learning languages are fundamental reasons for only a few people.
43 per cent of the respondents think the low salaries are the main reason of the emigration, 26 per cent of them blame Fidesz Government and Viktor Orbán, while 12 per cent believe it is due to the current economic situation. 7 per cent of them mention the previous governments, and another 7 per cent the lack of jobs. The latter was believed to be the reason in 23 per cent during the survey of two years earlier.
The order of the main reasons is quite similar regarding the supporters of every party. Mostly MSZP supporters (51%) think that it is impossible to get by with these salaries, but many Fidesz supporters (46%) mention it too. In sum, six out of ten respondents mention some economic or subsistence problems, while one third of them give political reasons.
58 per cent of the respondents experience a shortage of labour. They think that its main consequence is that there are not enough doctors and nurses (46%), convenience stores close (38%) and catering establishments also close (22%). According to 62 per cent of the respondents, the main reason of the shortage of labour is low salary, while 55 per cent think that qualified people are already working abroad.
The order and rate of these reasons is similar among the supporters of Fidesz, MSZP and Jobbik. However, the indecisives have a very different opinion: they think the main reason is that there are lazy people who do not want to work. Their second reason in line is that less and less people are qualified for certain professions, while their third one is that many people choose communal work as it is more sure and/or it is worth it more.
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Recent statistics show that there are about 29,000 more deaths than births in Hungary each year. In addition, about 31,000 Hungarians (mostly young) move abroad every year for better economic opportunities. Hungary currently has a population of about 9.9 million. At this rate, the population of Hungary will decline by about 6 million people in the next 100 years and there will be no Hungary left at all in less than 200 years.
Those are sad numbers. I don't understand why so many are leaving, especially when there are employment opportunities at home. Moving to another country and working there is great too, but wouldn't one want to be close to family and friends? I've met a few who have moved back home after seeing how difficult it is adjusting to a foreign life, language and country. Stay home, you have a beautiful country with less issues, believe it or not, than in many western countries.
Beautiful country . If you love nature this is one of the most preserved and the capital is stunning. And no racial issues. unlike uk, france etc.
The depopulation of Hungary and most of Eastern Europe in the next 80-100 years will destabilize that part of the world economically, politically and militarily. According to these projections, Hungary will be down to about 6,000,000 (6 million) people by 2010. Not only will there be less people, the number of elderly will skyrocket. It will be impossible to maintain an economy with such reductions in the workforce. It will be impossible to maintain national security with such low numbers. Hungary today, with about 9,700,000 people is able is already experiencing severe labor shortages and is able to only field a 29,700 person active military (about half the size of the New York City Police Department. Included in this number is a very high percentage (17.5%) females and a large number of old out of shape males. The current economy only supports about a 1% of GDP on military spending which is half the NATO minimum (2%) of spending required by member states. The countries of Western Europe will be less and less inclined to guarantee the security of an Eastern Europe that is depopulated, militarily unprepared and an economic basket case. The very survival of these countries are at stake.
The mistake that most people make is that they think politicians care about their country. Orban is no different than other leaders. They strip their respective countries of wealth and enrich their family and friends. If Orban really cared about Hungary he would reduce corruption and this way reduce taxes so disposable income would rise. The current system of ambiguous tax laws and no-bid contracts is disgustingly obvious.