The impact of migratory movements on the labour market in the countries of the Western Balkans

Abstract

Migration is one of the most current topics in the world today. The most common causes include wars, or climate changes, while there are also migrations caused by economic reasons, and their goal is pursuit of better material existence, achieving a higher standard of living, better conditions of employment, education, and therefore better conditions of life. The subjects of this analysis are economic migration and contemporary migration trends, i.e. the immigration and emigration of foreigners to and from the countries of the Western Balkans (WB). Macroeconomic indicators point to the stabilization of labour markets in the second decade of the 21^st century, although economies have been stagnating. The question arises whether this is a consequence of a higher rate of economic growth or is it induced by depopulation and reduction of the working population? The aim of the paper is to point out the necessity of managing migration flows in these countries and the need to guide migrants in the labour market. The paper consists of two parts. The first part provides an overview of previous research on migration, the concept and types of migration. The second part of the paper consists of an empirical analysis of migration in the countries of the Western Balkans and Serbia and their impact on the labour market and economic development.