Young people from BiH and the region are mostly going to Germany, Austria, Sweden, and most of them will not return

Young people leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro will return to their countries only if they are provided with greater opportunities for employment and career building, showed the results of an online survey conducted by the Institute for Youth Development KULT in the period from July to August 2017.

The survey involved 720 respondents from BiH, Serbia, Montenegro, and Croatia, aged 15 to 35, who have already moved out of the mentioned countries in the past three years or have initiated the emigration process with the intention of leaving their country in the near future. The largest number of responses came from young people aged between 21 and 30, mostly from urban areas.

According to the survey results, most young people emigrated to Germany, followed by Austria, Sweden, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Spain, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic...

More than 50% of young people go to other countries independently, more than 30% with the help of relatives and friends, while less than 10% use the services of employment agencies to emigrate.

About 80% of young people cited the fact that they do not see things improving in their country soon, or that they do not see a better future for themselves, as the reason for leaving. They also cited dissatisfaction caused by the political situation, the presence of corruption, unemployment, the excessive prevalence of national, religious, and war-related issues, and dissatisfaction with their jobs and income.

In the countries they move to, young people, according to the survey data, expect a better educational and healthcare system, a better living environment, greater employment opportunities, and a better security situation.

More than 30% of respondents do not plan to return to their country, while the rest will do so if they are given the opportunity to have a better quality of life in their country.

When asked if it was family emigration, nearly 60% of respondents answered positively, more than 20% said their families were preparing to leave, while about 10% answered negatively.

KULT announced that citizens with in-demand professions such as programmers, engineers and civil engineers, doctors and other medical staff, and highly skilled workers are leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina the most.

At least 2 million people of BiH origin live abroad, which is 53% of the total number of people living in BiH (3,791,622).

Numerous doctors, specialists, pharmacists, medical technicians, and caregivers are also leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina, resulting in the fact that BiH currently has 200 doctors per 100,000 inhabitants, which is less than the European average of 362 doctors.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is ranked 131st out of 133 countries in the category of "brain drain". (World Economic Forum, 2010.).

Since 1995, 79% of engineering researchers, 81% of master's degree holders, and 75% of PhD holders have left BiH. (UNESCO).