The Romanian Government approved a EUR 75,000 financial contribution to the OECD budget for a study regarding the Romanian communities abroad. The study will look at the size of these communities, the main reasons for emigrating, and what would determine people to come back.

More than 3 million Romanians were living and working abroad in 2016, with large communities in Italy, Spain, Germany, and Hungary. About 1.08 million Romanian were working in Italy in 2014, while 728,800 Romanians were working in Spain, 355,300 people in Germany, 162,600 in the United States, and 130,000 in the UK, according to a MoneyGram study.

Last year, Romania entered the top 20 countries globally for the size of its diaspora, surpassing countries like the US, Turkey, and Egypt.

The study will also look to gather data regarding the age, gender, education, and labor distribution of the Romanians working abroad, the main sectors they work in, while highlighting comparative migration trends.

The study will be finalized and submitted within 18 months after the payment of the contribution. The study is supported by the Ministry for Romanians Abroad and will be funded from the 2017 budget of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

editor@romania-insider.com