UN Research: A Quarter of Young People in BiH Seriously Considering Permanent Emigration

(Patria) - Young Europeans aged 15 to 29 are increasingly studying or working outside their country of birth, reports Hina.

According to Eurostat data from 2023, 14.2 percent of young people in this age group were born in a country other than the one they currently live in, while 11.9 percent do not have citizenship of the country of residence.

The main reasons for migration are economic - low wages, lack of housing, and limited career opportunities.

Portuguese sociologist Rui Pena Pires believes that youth migration in his country is a consequence of differences in wages and professional opportunities.

The situation is similar in Slovenia and Italy, where young people decide to leave due to job market insecurity and poor public services.

In Italy, over 300,000 young people have left the country in the last ten years, while in Slovenia, about 1,500 young people emigrate annually.

Croatia, which experienced a significant population outflow after joining the EU, has seen a slowdown in this trend in recent years. From 2014 to 2023, 373,935 people emigrated, with the largest group being young people between 20 and 39 years old.

Economists believe that migration decreases when a country reaches approximately 80 percent of the EU average development, and Croatia, at 78 percent, is approaching this.

North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are facing a significant outflow of young people due to corruption and poor economic conditions.

United Nations research shows that a quarter of young people in BiH are seriously considering permanent emigration. Experts warn of the need for urgent reforms to ensure better opportunities and prevent further decline in the youth population.

Programs like "Erasmus+" encourage mobility within the EU, but young migrants from outside the bloc face a higher risk of poverty and social exclusion.

In France, young people from Africa are among the main immigrants, and many are fleeing high unemployment in their home countries, such as Tunisia, where the youth unemployment rate is 41 percent.