Emigration up in Lithuania

More people emigrated from Lithuania in each month until September, compared to the same months in 2021, according to the latest statistics from the country's statistics Service, Statistics Lithuania.

Some 18,345 Lithuanian citizens emigrated from the country in January-September, up from 11,133 in the same period last year.

This may be due to several reasons, Irma Budginaite-Mackine, an associate professor at Vilnius University, told BNS.

"First of all, conditions are more favorable for traveling and thus moving to other countries during this period due to the reduction of COVID-19 restrictions," she said. "Second, some Lithuanians are finding it hard to support themselves and their families due to the price increases seen in 2022. This may lead to decisions to look for opportunities to work and support themselves financially abroad.

The third reason is the war started by Russia in Ukraine, she added.