The war brutally intervened in the lives of Ukrainians, destroying the usual order of things, taking away their homes and plans for the future. The country, which should have developed the potential of its people, turned into a state-exporter of human resources. Every day, thousands of Ukrainians pack their bags, going abroad in search of safety, stability and elementary confidence in the future. The reason for this behavior is much more complicated than it might seem at first glance. Neither war nor economic crisis alone would have forced people to leave their homes if they trusted the authorities and felt that their voice made a difference. Instead – disappointment, apathy and fear for the future of their children. What will be left of the country if this process is not stopped? Is there a chance to restore trust and save those who are still ready to fight for the Motherland?
An alarming trend
Every day, Ukraine is increasingly becoming a transit country for its most valuable resource — people. In recent years, millions of Ukrainians have decided to settle down abroad. Some were fleeing the war, others were looking for a better future, fleeing poverty and corruption. However, almost all of them left the country due to the feeling of total insecurity, which has become common within their native walls.
The survey conducted by the “Democratic Initiatives” fund named after Ilka Kucheriva, together with the sociological service of the Razumkov Center, pointed out a disappointing and disturbing trend – the reluctance of Ukrainians to live in their country. Yes, yes by the results survey, in the event of the opening of the border, 21% of Ukrainians expressed a desire to leave immediately. Among those who plan to move abroad for permanent residence, 25% are men, and 17% are women.
Among the respondents who lived in the eastern regions of Ukraine before the start of the full-scale invasion, 26.5% expressed a desire to emigrate abroad for permanent residence under the condition of open borders for all. There were 23% of such respondents in the western regions, 19% in the central regions, and 12% in the southern regions.
Respondents aged 18–29 express the greatest desire to move abroad for permanent residence (33%). As age increases, the share of those willing to leave gradually decreases:
- 30–39 years old – 27%;
- 40–49 years old – 23%;
- 50–59 years old – 16%;
- over 60 years – 9%.
Among the main reasons for wanting to leave Ukraine for permanent residence abroad, the respondents most often mentioned:
- lack of opportunities for development – 30.5%;
- threat to life due to war – 29%;
- insufficient social support from the state – 29%;
- desire to reunite with relatives – 26%;
- the need to ensure the safety of loved ones who depend on them -23%;
- difficulties with finding a job – 21%.
It is likely that these figures are not accurate, the situation is much worse. Nevertheless, the main reason for wanting to leave the country was not people’s fear or certain difficulties, but despair. The government, which should be the guarantor of security and rights of citizens, has turned into a symbol of indifference and impunity. The constitution, which promises equal rights, free medicine, education and social protection, has remained only a beautiful text on paper.
In real life, people are forced to perform an endless list of duties to the state without receiving anything in return. Add to this total corruption, lack of justice in courts, bureaucratic chaos and low salaries, and it becomes clear why Ukraine loses even to those countries where life is also not easy. In Poland, the Czech Republic or Germany, Ukrainians do not always become “their own”, but there at least there are rules that protect people, regardless of their status.
A special pain for Ukraine is the mood among the military. Those who risked their lives for the country’s freedom are increasingly saying that after the war is over, they will leave the country and move to their families. It is obvious that even fighting the enemy at the front is easier than fighting indifference and betrayal in the rear. A state that does not care about those who protect it has no right to demand loyalty.
Mass migration has catastrophic consequences. Ukraine is already losing its workforce, young professionals and potential entrepreneurs. Without these people, the economy will grind to a halt, and the social system will collapse. Only pensioners and officials who are unable to ensure stable development will remain.
However, the greatest danger lies not only in demographics. It is not just the population that is leaving the country, but hope. The more people lose faith in change, the more difficult it will be to revive a state that is already teetering on the brink.
Primary perspective
The dilemma faced by Ukrainians is a difficult one. Life abroad awaits them “with the rights of a guest”, but almost such a situation does not stop people, because even at home they do not feel that they belong, that the state needs them. There are problems in Ukraine now, and they are not just big – they are gigantic. But who will revive the country if everyone leaves? A popular saying states that “it is good where we are not.” And it’s true. Because there are difficulties abroad, even if they are well disguised under bright pictures on social networks.
You need to look at things honestly. People who come to a foreign country rarely become equal citizens there. They get second-rate jobs, the feeling of being a “guest” drags on for years, and money, which seems fabulous in the conditions of today’s Ukraine, quickly turns into a means of survival. Ukrainians who go abroad risk receiving the status of a mercenary. What at first seems like a gingerbread can easily turn into a whip and a yoke.
Moving abroad is not a fairy tale about a new life, but rather a reality show with the plot of “survival at any cost.” Many Ukrainians who leave the country in search of a better destiny face a reality that is radically different from their expectations. The first blow is occupational discrimination. With diplomas, experience and qualifications, you suddenly become a person who is not trusted even by the cash register in the supermarket. Do you want to work by profession? First, confirm the diploma, pass the exams, spend money and time. While this is going on, prepare yourself for reality: cleaning, caring for the elderly, manual labor in warehouses or factories. And even then they may tell you: “We are looking for someone with local experience.”
The language barrier is the second problem. It’s like you’re in a vacuum. Everything around is happening, but you cannot become a part of it. Banal things like making an appointment with the doctor or talking to the child’s teacher turn into stress tests. And even if you already know the basic phrases, but as soon as you try to speak, they either don’t understand you, or they pretend that they don’t understand.
And now about “hospitality”. Imagine that you work hard, pay taxes honestly, but still remain a stranger. Some locals directly imply that you take “their” jobs or use “their” social benefits. You feel that you are not exactly a welcome guest, even if they don’t say it out loud.
And this is only the tip of the iceberg. Many Ukrainians cannot withstand the psychological pressure, because being “new” in a foreign country is a constant struggle for a place under the sun. Therefore, before packing your bags, you should honestly ask yourself: “Am I ready to live in such conditions and am I sure that it will be better there than here?”
Of course, the state must act, and not passively observe the process of citizens’ departure and banal calculations in numbers. We need radical reforms that will restore trust in the state: a real fight against corruption, judicial reform, restoration of social guarantees and, most importantly, an honest dialogue between the authorities and the people.
Ukraine still has a chance, but time is running out. When the majority of the population feels that there is nothing for them in the Motherland, the process of emigration will become irreversible. And then the question will not be how to make people stay, but whether there will be anyone to live in this country.
How foreign countries coped with mass emigration
Mass emigration is always a sentence for the state, a signal that the system no longer works for the benefit of its citizens. Such a problem is not unique. Many countries in different eras faced waves of emigration. And although the reasons were different, they all converged on one thing – people left their homes because they no longer believed that it was possible to live better at home.
At the end of the 19th century, Sweden experienced a huge wave of emigration. About a million Swedes, or 20% of the population, left the country in search of a better life in America. Poverty, inequality, lack of prospects forced people at that time to go into the unknown. The authorities realized that if nothing is changed, the country will simply empty. Then Sweden started large-scale reforms. The introduction of a progressive tax system, the development of an education system accessible to all, and investments in the development of infrastructure have made Sweden the same “state for people” that we know today.
In the middle of the 19th century, Ireland lost millions of people to the Great Famine. Those who remained alive emigrated en masse to America and Britain. It was extremely difficult to recover from that, but the lesson was learned. In the 20th century, the Irish government focused on economic development. The state introduced tax incentives for business. Attracting foreign investments, development of tourism and creation of new jobs became the key to regaining public confidence.
After joining the EU, Poland faced a mass exodus of young people to Western Europe. The reason was low salaries and lack of career opportunities. The outflow of young specialists threatened the economic stability of the country. In response, the government implemented programs aimed at retaining young people: an increase in the minimum wage, subsidies for startups, support for young families through preferential mortgage loans. The result was not long in coming. Gradually, young people began to stay in the country, and some even returned.
Israel is an example of a country that not only prevented emigration, but was able to return its people. Thanks to an active policy of attracting the Jewish diaspora, providing benefits for returnees, ensuring social protection and access to quality medicine, the country was able to solve the problem of population outflow and even increase its number.
As we can see, in each of these cases, the authorities understood one simple truth: people do not leave their country because of love for another, they leave because of disappointment in their own. Pretty slogans or one-time payments aren’t enough to make a difference. Radical reforms are needed that will give people a sense of stability, security and prospects. Otherwise, even the most loyal citizens will sooner or later choose another place to be their home.
Ukraine faces a cruel choice: to continue losing people due to the indifference and inaction of the authorities, or to finally build a state where people want to live, work and see the future. Today’s migration is not simply a consequence of war or economic hardship, but a diagnosis of a system that for decades has alienated its citizens instead of supporting them. At the same time, Ukrainians who are traveling find themselves between two lights. After all, they will never completely become “their own” abroad, but at home they will only have to fight for survival. This is a complex dilemma that requires an honest rethinking of government priorities.
If the authorities do not realize that the time of empty slogans and promises has passed, if they do not start implementing real changes, the country may lose those who are able to restore and develop it after the war.
