An IOM information campaign designed to counter misconceptions
about migration and life abroad has been launched to alert young
Georgians to the risks of irregular migration.



The EU-funded campaign, using the slogan: “The Streets
Abroad Are Not Paved With Gold! Think Twice Before You Go!”
will provide face-to-face and telephone counselling for potential
migrants. It will also use target potential migrants through weekly
radio programmes, TV and radio ads, and public outreach
meetings.

 

IOM research shows that unemployed young professionals aged
between 25-30 years old are the group most likely to migrate, in
search of virtually any job, including basic social care,
agriculture and catering.



According to the research, the USA is top choice of destination,
followed by Greece, Germany, the UK, Canada and Italy.



Some 37 percent of potential migrants interviewed by IOM were
counting on friends abroad to find jobs for them, while 17 percent
thought that they would have no problems in finding a job on
arrival.  Only 3 percent of those interviewed had already
established contact with a foreign employer. 



The project is part of a regional dialogue between Western
European countries and the three Caucasus countries on how to solve
the most pressing migration management needs in migrant sending
countries. It also aims to help the Georgian government develop
policies to reduce irregular migration, while promoting regular
migration.



According to Georgia’s Department of Statistics, the
country’s population has shrunk by 15.8% since 1989 due to
economic hardship, ethnic conflicts and high outbound migration.
Independent experts estimate that more than a million people left
the country either legally or illegally.

For further information, please contact

Marc Hulst

IOM Georgia

Tel. +995 32 25 22 16/17

E-mail: "mailto:marc@iom.ge" target="" title="">marc@iom.ge