Migration and skills in Georgia

The report describes the findings for the European Training Foundation migration and skills survey conducted in Georgia. Following independence in 1991, Georgia faced a series of political crises that devastated the economy and had a dramatic impact on migration patterns. Post-independence migration has been marked by three significant stages, each closely linked with political and economic developments. In 2011, Georgia’s employment and unemployment rates were 55.4% and 15.1% respectively. Under these difficult conditions of high unemployment and underemployment, international migration offers an outlet for Georgians and fulfils an essential role in the Georgian economy. It is estimated that the migrant stock abroad is over one million people (25% of the Georgian population) and that temporary migration flows annually involve between 6% and 10% of the population.