BIS: Reconstruction of Ukraine requires people – return of refugees and influx of abroad workers crucial for the economy

No strategy to rebuild Ukraine will win without people – the mass return of refugees will only become possible after the triumph over Russia, and any staff shortages will should be completed by workers from abroad – stated the Head of the Migration Policy Office of Ukraine, Vasily Woskobojnyk on 8 October.

In his speech, Woskobojnyk stressed that no model of economical growth would work without human resources.

– There will be neither investment nor improvement unless there are people," he said.

In his opinion, the return of Ukrainians from abroad will depend not on patriotic slogans, but on real surviving conditions – the level of wages, the availability of housing, the quality of public services and a transparent taxation system.

Mass returns will only come after the victory. People will only come back if they can support their family, buy an flat and have prospects for development. No passwords will replace this," said Woskobojnyk.

According to him, 1 of the key tasks of the state should be to attract and hold specialists in deficit professions – doctors, teachers, engineers and workers. This is supported by the fast notification of diplomas, inexpensive mortgages, municipal housing programs and competitive salaries.

– However, we cannot fill the staff gap with our own forces alone. any of the shortages in the labour marketplace will request to be complemented by abroad workers – this is simply a average practice in countries that are developing," the Head of the Bureau of Migration Policy of Ukraine said.

Woskobojnyk besides pointed out the request for integration of war veterans, who would return to civilian life after the end of military activities.

– Hundreds of thousands of people with discipline, experience and motivation must be included in the economy through short retraining courses and support for their own business initiatives," he added.

He besides pointed out that communication with Ukrainian diaspora and refugees should be "a language of pragmatism, not emotion".

– We gotta say: there is work in Ukraine, there are opportunities, there is request for your skills – he said.

In Woskobojnyk's assessment, effective migration policy and reconstruction of the country require cooperation between the state, business and local governments.

– Only together can we compete for human capital in the global labour marketplace – he concluded.

Woskobojnyk recalled that the National Association of global employment Companies led by him, in cooperation with the Institute of Demography and Life Quality Research. Mikhaylá Ptucha of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and with the support of the global Fund for "Rebirth", implements a task to make the strategy of the State Migration Policy of Ukraine by 2035, focusing on labour resources.

Let us remind that, according to the UN advanced Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), almost 7 million citizens of the country are presently surviving outside Ukraine, including any 6.4 million in Europe and 0.6 million outside of Ukraine. Studies by the global Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Migration Policy Institute (MPI) show that 13% of refugees do not plan to return even in the long term.

Let us add that the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy estimates that rebuilding the country after the war will require an additional 4.5 million workers, of which a large part must come from abroad.

Source: YouTube

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