The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Kosovo published today the Public Pulse Analysis on Effects of Visa Liberalization on Migration in a roundtable discussion with Dudley Tarlton, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Alex Albertine, Director of Economic Growth Office, USAID, Mrika Kotorri, Migration Expert, Sihana Bejtullahu, Co-Executive Director, GERMIN, and representatives from Academia, CSOs, and UNDP.  

As of 1 January 2024, Kosovo was granted visa-free travel to EU. The Analysis examines the impact of visa liberalization on the economy and explores the demographics of those who have left since January 2024, including their gender, ethnicity, age, education, profession, income level, and settlement, as well as their expectations and plans.

Some of the main findings from the survey include:

•    Most respondents (95.3 percent) correctly associate EU Schengen visa liberalization with the ability to travel without a visa, while only a small percentage mistakenly believe it grants the right to work anywhere in the EU (2.5%) or permanent residency (1.5 percent).

•    Awareness of the limitations of visa liberalization, specifically that it permits short stays but not employment, varies significantly by ethnicity. Kosovo Albanians show a higher level of full awareness (75.5 percent) compared to Kosovo Serbs (25.0 percent), with other Kosovo communities falling in between.

•    The most anticipated effect of visa liberalization is the expectation of increased work and business opportunities, with 54.3 percent of respondents highlighting this as a key benefit.

•    A significant portion of respondents (47.3 percent) also anticipate enhanced cultural exchange and tourism as a major benefit of visa liberalization. Additionally, 33.8 percent expect improved educational exchange, indicating a broad recognition of the potential for greater cultural and educational interaction.

•    Most of the respondents express optimism about the positive impact of visa liberalization on the economy. Specifically, 72.7 percent anticipate a positive effect, of whom 26.4 percent expecting it to be very positive. This reflects a strong belief that visa liberalization will contribute to economic growth, particularly in urban areas where 76.9 percent view the impact very positively and  positively.

•    A strong majority of respondents (92.1 percent) believe that visa liberalization will likely lead to more foreign direct investment.

•    Over half of the respondents (52.2 percent) are satisfied with their current professional opportunities.

•    Respondents also highlight the potential benefits for the tourism sector, with 35.0 percent believing that visa liberalization will significantly benefit tourism, an additional 40.3 percent feel that it will have a moderate impact.

•    Among the youngest respondents (18-24), 35.6 percent are either considering or likely to move abroad. In contrast, this consideration decreases sharply among older age groups, with only 5.0 percent of those aged 45-54 and 3.0 percent of those aged 55-64 contemplating a move.

Some of the key findings from focus group discussions with businesses and institutions are:

•    The health and education sectors have been impacted primarily by the emigration of younger professionals and nurses, who are increasingly seeking opportunities abroad for better salaries and working conditions.

•    The healthcare sector is struggling with shortages of skilled workers, particularly in secondary and tertiary care. This has led to long queues, delayed services, and a reliance on older professionals who may soon retire.

•    The energy sector has experienced workforce emigration, particularly among technical staff and subcontractors, especially in the solar energy industry

•    Poor working conditions, unemployment, low pay, and limited professional development opportunities are major driving factors for emigration across all sectors.

•    Better salaries, career growth, and improved working environments abroad are strong pull factors.

•    Visa liberalization has facilitated greater professional mobility but has also contributed to an outflow of talent. Institutional representatives are worried that continued brain drain could harm the appeal to foreign investors by reducing service stability and quality.

You can find the report in three languages at this link:

Additional data obtained through this and previous polls will be made available in the Public Pulse Data Visualization Platform and ASKData: https://bit.ly/44GqPyi

The Public Pulse Analysis highlights the perceptions of 1,306 participants across seven regions, reflecting gender and ethnic diversity. In addition, it includes findings from six focus group discussions with representatives from local and central institutions, including businesses to assess the possibility of brain drain, strategies for mitigation, and the impact of workforce emigration on key sectors such as health, education, energy, and information communication technology.

The Public Pulse project, which started in 2002, is funded and supported by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Kosovo.

For more information, please contact:

Burbuqe Dobranja, UNDP Communications Associate 
Phone: (038) 249 066 ext. 410;   mobile: 049 720 800      e-mail: burbuqe.dobranja@undp.org 

Danijela Mitić, Communications Associate UNDP 
Phone: (038) 249 066 ext. 412;    mobile: 049 720 824     e-mail: danijela.mitic@undp.org 

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