Ukrainian Labour Migration in the Czech Republic: Brain-Drain and the Existence of Structural Channels

Abstract

This paper aims at finding out, whether the previous experience in Ukrainian construction sector increases the probability of doing the same job in the Czech construction sector. We assume that the integration of Czech and Ukrainian construction sectors led to the creation of structuralchannels directing Ukrainian labour migrants to the Czech Republic along the migration lines and facilitating the process of labour migration between these two countries. We employ the unique dataset created with the help of the survey conducted in Ukraine within the framework of Ukrainian migration project (UMP) in 2010-2012 and estimate multidimensional models in order to establish whether the previous experience in Ukrainian construction sector increases the probability of doing the same job in the Czech construction sector. Our results show strong empirical evidence for our hypotheses and are interpreted in the context of a broader economic restructuralization in the European Union.