LU konference
The results of the survey show that the majority of Latvian residents living abroad have a great interest in the events taking place in Latvia; 41.3% of respondents replied that they make use of different social networking sites on a daily basis.
Evaluating the survey results, the team of researchers of the UL Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences, under the guidance of Professor Zaiga Krišjāne has concluded that during the economic recession years there were different reasons why people left the country if compared with those who left soon after Latvia joined the European Union. In 2004 people left mostly for better job opportunities, while during the recession years many of the migrants were unemployed. Many respondents have emphasized that they were forced to move abroad to find a job in order to cover their basic living expenses and loan payments.
The main reasons why people left the country in 2012 were:
- 22% of respondents had loans, they had difficulties to cover their monthly payments;
- 19% of respondents felt unsafe and uncertain of their future;
- 14% of respondents were unemployed, had difficulties to find a job in Latvia.
23% of respondents replied that they would come back to Latvia, while 12% have emphasized that they would rather move to another country than return. 65% of respondents are planning to stay 5 more years abroad. The researchers have therefore concluded that feeling uncertain about the future is the main reason why people leave the country and the main obstacle to their return.
The mobility survey within draugiem.lv has been implemented by the team of researchers of the UL Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences, consisting of the following specialists: Professor Zaiga Krišjāne, researcher Elīna Apsīte-Beriņa and doctoral student Aija Lulle, researcher from the UL and the University of Tartu Dr. geogr. Māris Bērziņš and project manager Juris Auzāns from draugiem.lv.
The survey respondents were Latvian residents from Ireland, Great Britain, Germany, Norway and Sweden.
Draugiem.lv has a total of 1.2 million registered users worldwide; every fifth user logs into the site from abroad.
Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.
 in cooperation with Latvian social networking site draugiem.lv has developed an innovative research tool, which in 2010 and 2012 allowed them to implement a web-based survey of Latvian residents living abroad. The goal of research was to evaluate the main mobility trends by making use of the social networking site draugiem.lv.){kind=link}