Most Lithuanians imagine immigrants from Belarus as long-haul drivers, but a new study has revealed that the reality is different – thousands of Belarusians have settled in Lithuania with their families and plan to stay long-term.
Researchers from the Lithuanian Social Research Center, Alexander Chubrik and Natalia Shcharbina, pointed out that about 30-40% of Belarusians living in Lithuania have arrived with their families and plan to stay in the country. The researchers’ conclusions refute the common assumption that the majority of Belarusians in Lithuania perform various short-term jobs. Chubrik said that researchers came to the conclusion about two years ago that there is no clarity in Lithuania about who these migrants really are. Many Lithuanians assume that the immigrants have come only to work and will soon leave, but in reality many see their future in Lithuania.
There are currently around 60,000 Belarusians living in Lithuania. Many arrived after the disputed 2020 presidential election, which was followed by widespread protests and their brutal repression. According to researchers, migration from Belarus increased for a few years after that, but has now stabilized.
The study found that around 25,000 Belarusians work as long-haul drivers in Lithuania. Since many of them spend a long time outside Lithuania and often come on short-term contracts, they are not always considered long-term residents to the same extent as families moving permanently.
According to official information available for the study,
there are currently around 4,200 Belarusian children living in Lithuania,
and based on the data, it is estimated that around 30-40% of immigrants from Belarus have settled in Lithuania with their families. Chubrik pointed out that family migration is perceived differently than individual workers – families are interested in integrating into the host country, thinking about the long-term perspective and the future of their children.
Researchers have found that many Belarusian families living in Lithuania were middle-class at home and left Belarus for a combination of political, economic and humanitarian reasons. Shcharbina said that these people share similar values with Lithuanians. They had a relatively stable life in Belarus and left because of pressure and restrictions. For immigrants, Lithuania is associated with security and the opportunity to provide better opportunities for their children.
Migration from Belarus has also raised concerns about security issues, especially after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022; relations with Minsk are also tense. Critics have pointed out that immigrants from Belarus are at risk of recruitment by Minsk’s intelligence services. However, the researchers stressed that
many Belarusians who have left their homes for political reasons are very cautious about security issues
and very rarely travel to Belarus.
Despite their desire to integrate, Belarusian families face obstacles, especially when it comes to education. One of the biggest challenges is learning Lithuanian, and experts have noted that the country lacks the capacity to properly teach Lithuanian as a foreign language, especially to children.
The researchers stressed that better data on migrant communities could help policymakers make more informed decisions. For example, discussions about the need for workers to know Lithuanian could take into account differences between different groups, such as long-distance drivers on short-term contracts and families planning to integrate into Lithuanian society.
Read the full article in English here: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2869489/belarusian-migrants-in-lithuania-study-shows-many-planning-to-stay
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