All companies in the country are invited to join the initiative., which is being implemented by the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the Employment Service, Global Lithuanian Leaders and the Lithuanian World Community, diaspora representatives and businesses.
„Our goal is to build as many bridges as possible for Lithuanians living abroad. We want to create the best conditions for them to return to Lithuania, and a wide range of career opportunities and annually increasing salaries are one of the incentives to do so. This initiative has been actively taken up by Lithuanian companies and start-ups. Equally important is the fact that this initiative contributes to improving the overall culture of international recruitment in our country,“ said Aušrinė Armonaitė, Minister of the Economy and Innovation.
In order to identify the expectations of Lithuanians abroad and companies recruiting diaspora representatives and foreigners as well as best practices, the ministry initiated a focus group discussion last year. Employers, diaspora representatives and representatives of public institutions shared their experiences and suggestions on how to improve the international recruitment process in the country. During the discussions, criteria for choosing a career in Lithuania were identified and a special Diaspora-Friendly Employer badge was created.
Companies interested in joining the initiative are invited to complete a registration form on the website of the Employment Service. After signing a declaration that they meet at least three of the identified criteria, they will receive a special Diaspora-Friendly Employer badge. This badge, according to the Minister, reflects a company’s values — openness, internationalisation — and sends an important message to potential employees.
The criteria that companies must meet include remote interview and recruitment opportunities as well as teleworking, an intercultural working environment, an open and inclusive working atmosphere, and a smooth onboarding process, including assistance with relocation and integration into Lithuania and the work environment.
The modern, international working environment of Lithuanian companies, broad career prospects and the opportunity to contribute to projects of national importance are encouraging more and more Lithuanian talents living abroad to return to Lithuania.
Simonas Černiauskas, Head of the Lithuanian DigiTech Sector Association Infobalt, said that the country’s fast-growing innovation sector provides employers with the opportunity and need to expand their teams by offering increasingly competitive salaries and development opportunities.
„Lithuania’s international and local companies as well as the thriving start-up ecosystem allow talent to climb the career ladder faster. Companies need professionals who can use their valuable international experience to contribute to the innovation, competitiveness, and long-term success of their organisations,“ said Černiauskas.
According to Giedrė Sinkevičė, Deputy Director of the Employment Service, the new initiative will make a significant contribution to return migration.
„The most important incentive for the diaspora to return is a good salary that ensures financial stability. Businesses, which used to react rather sceptically to the expectations of Lithuanians working abroad, are also changing their position. This year’s survey of employers shows that as many as 77% of employers would hire a candidate with existing education and work experience, regardless of where it was acquired, abroad or in Lithuania,“ said Sinkevičė. „We believe that the Diaspora-Friendly Employer badge will strengthen return migration.“
In meetings with Lithuanians living abroad, the Employment Service’s team of the return migration initiative „Maybe back to Lithuania?“ has been recording the improving mood of compatriots every year. This is confirmed by the results of the 2023 emigrant opinion survey obtained after interviewing more than a thousand respondents. As many as 55.1% of them indicated that they would like to settle in Lithuania or plan to do so. Compared to a similar survey carried out in 2020, the number of those wishing to return to Lithuania increased by 14.6%.
„Diaspora professionals are increasingly returning to Lithuania, as we can see in our daily work. The diaspora is diverse — we often don’t think about the fact that some of the people living abroad are not at all familiar with the reality of working in Lithuania, so all communication measures, including the Diaspora-Friendly Employer initiative, are meaningful and can have an even greater impact on return migration,“ said Marija Šaraitė, the chief executive officer at Global Lithuanian Leaders, a network for diaspora professionals.
For the past four years in a row, more compatriots have returned to Lithuania than left. According to the State Data Agency, 17,500 citizens returned to Lithuania in 2023.