Half of university students and graduates consider leaving Slovakia, according to the results of a survey carried out by the Focus agency for the Public Affairs Institute (IVO) in May. About 14 percent think of leaving Slovakia permanently and 36 percent for a certain time. The intention to go abroad was declared more often by students than graduates. Among young people who consider leaving Slovakia permanently, 35 percent are firmly determined to do so and another 39 percent say they are likely to leave. Among young people who consider leaving Slovakia temporarily, only 8 percent are firmly determined to do so.
"The most significant reasons that make young Slovaks leave their homeland are socio-economic and political ones. These include low living standards, insufficient job offers and shortcomings in the social welfare scheme, such as pension welfare, social benefits, unemployment benefits etc. Significant 'starters' of migration are dysfunctional state and public institutions, which were cited as the second most significant reason to leave Slovakia," said the project's author and IVO analyst Marián Velšic. "It is not good for the country's image that deficits in democracy and political culture, or high levels of corruption and clientelism were cited as serious reasons for leaving the country, too, " he added.
The Czech Republic, Germany, the United Kingdom, Austria, Spain, the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Italy and Denmark dominate the target destinations for young Slovaks who want to leave their home country. The survey was carried out on a sample of 512 respondents aged between 18-29 years.
