Potential East-West Migration

Abstract

Examines the migration potential in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, & Slovakia, using 1996 survey data from 4,392 persons. Results indicate that all scenarios that predict an imminent exodus of people from East & Central Europe are exaggerating the real dimension of East-West migration. The migration potential in the four countries investigated here is between 700,000 & (potentially) 4 million persons, higher than the numbers foreseen by the law for annual immigration to Austria & the Federal Republic of Germany & higher than the numbers thought politically acceptable. Principal information concealing the demographic & social structure of the people who are willing to leave their country & planning a stay in Western Europe is given.