Gallup Survey Reports Who Wants to Relocate to a Different Country

[Gator]

Gallup has recently published some information regarding global attitudes of where best to live if people had an opportunity to move permanently.

www.gfmd2009.org/.../GALLUP%20Paper%20GFMDCSDATHENS2009.pdf

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2009/11/gallup-700m-in-world-would-like-to-live.html


I present this because the survey reports results for the FSU. 

"Further, across former Soviet Union countries in 2008, 33% said there were better opportunities outside their countries. In 2009, this percentage dropped to 14%.  Over the same period, the percentage of residents in the Caucasus, the European part of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Central Asia who said they would like move remained statistically unchanged. In the Baltic region, the percentage who would like to move permanently actually increased from 18% in 2008 to 25% in 2009. Taken together, these data suggest that respondents in this region are aware that the economic crisis may have reduced the number of opportunities outside their countries, but their desire to move abroad permanently remains unabated."


This is consistent with what I/O observed:

 

Dan, The game HAS CHANGED and it was abundantly obvious to me during July of this year. Economics and opportunity, there is a much greater parity now. I can't speak for Ukraine because it is quite some time since I have been there but it is evident everywhere in Russia. A certain air of confidence and self belief if you like.

Now the question of the desired destination countries.  I could not find the responses for FSU citizens; however, the following are direct quotes for global totals, suggesting a tie between Europe and North America:


"• The United States is the destination country most often cited by those who say they would like to move to another country permanently. Nearly one-quarter (24%) of these respondents, which translates to more than 165 million adults, name the United States as their desired country of residence. With an additional estimated 45 million saying they would like to move to Canada, Northern America is one of the two most desired regions to which adults say they would like to move.

• Rounding out the rest of the top desired destination countries (with an estimated 25 million or more adults) are the United Kingdom (45 million), France (45 million), Spain (35 million), Saudi Arabia (30 million), Germany (25 million), and Australia (25 million).

• Roughly 210 million adults around the world would like to move to a country in the European Union, which is similar to number who would like to move to Northern America. Of those who live in the EU and would like to move permanently to another country (80 million), about half, or roughly 40 million, would like to move to another country within the EU."

[Gator]

The major point I take from this is that although the number of FSU citizens who believe there were better opportunities outside their countries has dropped from 33% in 2008 to 14% in 2009, that still means a large number of FSU men and women would move if given the opportunity. 

Also, marriage is not the preferred path for relocating.  Although marriage is an "easy" way out, the percentage of RW listed with MOB agencies is well below 14% of all RW of the same age group.  It is probably less than 1%.

[RussianWind]

Interesting statistics Gator. It confirms my thoughts. Would be interesting to find out how much number of willing to relocate to the US dropped for the last year.

[Turboguy]

Don't take this as a negative thing about Russia but I wonder how many said they wanted to move to Russia?   I do think there is a grass is greener mentality among a lot of people and lots of people just want to expience the world.   I think if you asked American's if they would like to move to Paris or Rome you would find a lot who would say yes just for the experience.   

Life is full of the same olde, same olde.   I can recall a guy from the UK who used to visit me on business and he had women falling all over him becase of his accent.   People are attracted to change and to different.   Still, I do think the USA is not the golden dream that it was in the past.  Interesting posts.

[RussianWind]

Don't take this as a negative thing about Russia but I wonder how many said they wanted to move to Russia?  

It depends on a part of the world where to ask  

Tajikistan - 100%
Though half of them are already here  

[Turboguy]

Yes, I think some from Azerbaijan as well.  They seem to be to the restaurant business what the Packistans are to the Hotel business here.

[dogspot]

I think the statistics look good for guys looking for a wife in the FSU. The less desireable it appears to live in another country, the more likely the man is to find a genuine woman who is willing to move for him. My girlfriend is an example of one of the 86% who is not looking to move out of the country. She loves Russia. For this, she is exactly the type of woman I have been searching for. The ladies who expressed a strong desire to leave their homeland are the ones who didn't last long in correspondence with me.

[groovlstk]

They seem to be to the restaurant business what the Packistans are to the Hotel business here.

TG, are those the Green Bay Packistans? 

[RussianWind]

Yes, I think some from Azerbaijan as well.  They seem to be to the restaurant business what the Packistans are to the Hotel business here.

The restaurant business? No, Azer mafia historically controls food markets here.

[Misha]

Though half of them are already here  

Wives left back home of course 

[RussianWind]

Wives left back home of course 

No, Misha. Their families stay at home. Men send them money.

[Nat]

Interesting statistics! It's hard to say for sure - but I think that some of the reasons for such statistic may be the following - first of all, people see that there are much more opportunities to find good work in Russia and Ukraine now, than it was before (well, crises mixes everything up, of course, but crysis is everywhere in the world). Second - due to crisis there is lack of low-level job vacancies in western countries now. A lot of people, who worked abroad as builders and so on are now coming back home. And third - now we have much more information than we had before. People, who have good education and who used to think that the US or Europe are waiting for them to come and succeed, now know, that they'll have to spen years fighting for their success, veryfying thier degrees or getting new ones, and all this with no friends, far away from their native language, culture and so on - it's a hard way, though it has great bonuses at the end May be that's why there are less people now who wants to relocate

[Bored1]

I think you are right on all point.

There is much more access to information good and bad about the world in real time and from many sourse and many more foreign here also.

I see no reason to go study in a foreign country unless I intend to stay there because when study is over I would have to come back to Russia.  It would make much more sense to simply study here.  It is not so that there are not foreign schools and teacher here after all and it will be cheaper and not remove me from an existing social scene.

I also think many womans my age are no longer with so many parameters around them with regard to work and opportunity as those existing 20 years ago.

Simply there is no reason to move country unless it is something you really wish to do for many RW.

[Misha]

No, Misha. Their families stay at home. Men send them money.

That is what I said, back home in Azerbaijan  Though, my wife knows one case (a close family friend) who is living with an Azeri man in Russia and he sends money back to his family back home (in Azerbaijan)....

[RussianWind]

That is what I said, back home in Azerbaijan   Though, my wife knows one case (a close family friend) who is living with an Azeri man in Russia and he sends money back to his family back home (in Azerbaijan)....

It's not a rare situation, Azeri men are quite wealthy. But your line was a bit incorrect - their wives never entered Russia. As for Tajiks, poor guys rent a flat and live there all together. Like in our block - there are around 10 of them or so, they look all the same for me   Vietnamese occupy student hostels and form whole colonies like cockroaches. When they fry herring, nobody in the buliding can breath normally   I don't know where Chinese live but they are already building own China town here.

[Misha]

But your line was a bit incorrect - their wives never entered Russia.

And, that is what I implied when I said that the wives are back home, with home being back in Azerbaijan. My meaning did not get through as I was using tongue-in-cheek.

[RussianWind]

Oh yes, now I see I was not attentive, sorry. I read it as "went" 

[Misha]

Oh yes, now I see I was not attentive, sorry. I read it as "went" 

Спасибо! Shhh! Be careful though or you will burst another stereotype about RW never apologizing 

[RussianWind]

you will burst another stereotype about RW never apologizing 

Ooops, my mistake, sorry 

[BC]

First, always remember the 'greener' effect..  The other side of the proverbial fence always seems greener regardless on which side you stand.

Who hasn't had a dream every now and then to move to some far away, sunny island, living under the coconut trees, content with a palm hutch and a fishing pole.. except that tall, thin, blonde babe was missing from the equation..

A documented, significant decline in FSU folks wanting to wander west will be startling to those counting on their passport or plastic filled wallet to entice..

Just think about it..  There will always be a percentage who will just about do anything to escape.. 

Now that a significant percentage have decided 'maybe ain't so bad here after all' either via more information, improving conditions or whatever, just think about what motivates those that remain with their desire to expatriate.