Press releases

10 Sep 2026

Survey finds only 1.7% of Belarusians would consider moving abroad

An archive photo

MINSK, 10 September (BelTA) – More than 98% of Belarusians would not want to emigrate abroad for permanent residence, shows the comprehensive nationwide sociological survey into Belarus’ social and economic development, BelTA has learned.

When asked whether they would like to move out of the country, only 1.7% of respondents said they would like to leave for permanent residence. This means that the overwhelming majority (more than 98%) would not want to leave.

Some 48.6% of those surveyed said they would like to travel abroad for tourism, vacation, or visiting relatives. Another 48.1% have no such plans.

Commenting on the results of the survey, Sergei Musiyenko, head of the EcooM analytical center, drew attention in particular to Belarus’ tourism potential and good opportunities for health-and-spa treatment within the country.

“In small district centers we have beaches that could be called the best in the country. There is great potential for developing domestic tourism,” he said.

A total of 6.2% of respondents said they would like to go abroad for temporary work, and 5.9% for study or professional development.

When asked “How do you feel about attracting labor migrants to our country?” 63.3% of respondents answered “neutrally, if they obey the laws”, 20.3% answered “negatively, they cause a lot of problems”, and 15.3% answered “positively, I see no problem in it”.

According to Sergei Musiyenko, this is a very delicate issue. Many countries around the world are pursuing the path of attracting migrants and applying various approaches. There are various examples, and not always successful ones. They need to be studied, and in this he sees a role for analytical and sociological support in order to develop the country’s own path of understanding.

According to him, the situation with migrants in Belarus is controlled, but it is important to understand how to make this process beneficial for the country, with an awareness of all the risks. This is a serious, multifaceted issue.

When asked “Would you like to move to another place in Belarus for permanent residence”, 17.2% of respondents answered yes, and 82.6% answered no.

The majority of respondents (70.9%) answered “yes” to the question “Would you like your children and grandchildren to live in your locality?” and 27.8% answered “no”.

The Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus conducted the survey in July-August 2026 upon request of the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research (BISR). It involved 2,045 respondents from all regions of the country. The first part of results of a comprehensive nationwide sociological survey that focuses on the key matters of social and economic development in Belarus was presented in Minsk on 10 September.