Bulgaria - The social impact of seasonal migration

3. Factors contributing to migration movements
3.1. Factors contributing to emigration
3.1.1. Push factors
In the absence of sound research of the emigrant communities, one can attempt to
reveal the motives for migration from the inquiries on potential migration as well as from
the in-depth interviews of the present study.
The representative sociological survey in the framework of the 2001 national census has
demonstrated that the character of and motivation for internal and external migration
differed significantly. The main reasons for internal migration are related to the family -
reunification of divided families, marriage, elderly relatives moving to younger kin, etc.
Such are 50% of the answers. Only 24% of the interviewed who had changed their place
of residence within Bulgaria singled out finding employment as a motive for internal
migration, while 13% would move in search of a job that suited their qualification. 22%
of the respondents said they were looking for a better standard of living, whereas 15% -
for a better future of their children. Women accounted for the bigger part of internal
migration, namely 53% versus 45% men (there were 2% non-respondents).
On the contrary, the dominating motives for potential external migration are rather
economic, relating to a desire for living and working in a country with a higher standard
of living, devoid of material problems. There is different motivation behind emigration
for good (preferred by 8% of potential migrants) and emigration for finding employment
(potential labour migrants) being 7% of all the respondents.
The primary aim of potential emigrants for good is "to live and work in a country of a
higher standard of living" (54%). Every fifth of them (20%) would attempt to solve
material problems - personal or familial - through emigration. More than 9% of those
who would emigrate for good stated that they did not wish to live in Bulgaria anymore.
The chief goal of potential labour emigrants would be to improve the material
conditions of their lives (47%). 35% of labour migrants would be tempted abroad by the
higher standard of living and working outside of Bulgaria. Nearly 5% of both these
groups target particular education, of themselves or of their children.
Among potential short-term emigrants, those who would like to solve material problems
abroad (42%) predominated. Higher standard of living abroad was attractive for 33% of
short-term migrants. 5% of potential short-term migrants would move for better
professional career abroad, while 4% aimed to improve their education.
Although all potential emigrants have particular goals to achieve through migration, a
considerable part of them did not yet know how their aims might be reached. 42% of
long-term emigrants and 39% of short-term emigrants had no idea what their activities
abroad could be.
The greatest percentage of the potential emigrants for good - 12% - intended to be
craftsmen. 7% of the emigrants for good would be engaged in trade and the hotel
industry, while 6% would continue their education. Potential labour emigrants also
intended to be craftsmen - 15% of them would pursue such career. 9% of labour migrants
would work in agriculture, and 5% would be employed in trade and the hotel industry.
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