Title: Migration in post-transition economies: immigration surplus in Visegrad group countries

Authors: Yuriy Bilan; Wadim Strielkowski

Addresses: Microeconomics Department, Faculty of Economics Science and Management, University of Szczecin, ul. Mickiewicza 64, 71-101 Szczecin, Poland ' Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University in Prague, Smetanovo nabr. 6, 11001 Prague, Czech Republic

Abstract: This paper tackles studies international migration and its positive effects in the post-transition economies of the Central and Eastern Europe. Generally, economic theory agrees that immigration either has a positive impact on the economic welfare of the target countries or its effect is relatively small. This paper attempts to advocate the idea that the economic impact of migration is positive. In addition, it calculates the so-called 'immigration surplus' for the Visegrad group post-communist economies in transition. The overall conclusion is that migration, although it is modest in its volume and scope, is very beneficial for the countries in question and therefore should be considered by the relevant stakeholders as one of the tools for fostering economic development.

Keywords: migration economics; labour market; immigration surplus; Visegrad countries; post-transition economies; Central and Eastern Europe; CEE; economic impact; economic development; immigrants.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTGM.2016.076310

International Journal of Trade and Global Markets, 2016 Vol.9 No.2, pp.182 - 196

Received: 21 Nov 2014
Accepted: 09 Jan 2015
Published online: 03 May 2016 *

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