Emigration Facts &figures 2 http://cesko.ge/eng/static/1605/amomrcheveli-sazghvargaret https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/4273360?publication=0 to reinstate Georgian citizenship untilDecember 31, 2020. Development Agency withtherequest citizenship, iseligibleto applyatthePublicServices citizenship dueto acquiringanothercountry’s ficial consent from Georgian authorities prior to acquiringthecitizenshipofanother country. AnyGeorgian nationalthathaslostGeorgian 1 According to the amendments to the Law on Citizenship in 2018, it is possible to Georgianretain citizenship if, the citizen procures an of 1

2

% ofemigrants in total population expatriates, andGeorgians alreadyexpatriates, whoare naturalised intheircountries ofresidence. abroad, short-term including historic diaspora, temporary emigrants, long-term emigrants, Organisations theterm ‘diaspora’ (2011), covers themembers ofallGeorgian migrant communities Terminology: According to theLaw ofGeorgia onCompatriots Residing Abroad andDiaspora Remittances inflow(USD million): Remittances asashareofGDP: doesnothaveadiaspora engagementpolicy. GEORGIA Diaspora engagementmapping % ofwhich in theEU

12.3 2,126 % Russian Federation Top countries ofdestination Political rights At embassies/consulates Voting fromabroad: Dual citizenship for citizensresidingabroad Right tovote innationalelections 37,886 49,137 65,042 81,272 450,115 1

2 -

GEORGIA defines the principles defines

3 for diaspora organisations organisations diaspora for 7 simplifies the determination of Georgian of Georgian simplifies the determination 4

largely regulates the norms of the labour emigration of regulates of the labour emigration the norms largely 5 was developed in order to ensure to well-planned policy and in order development developed was 6 countries. The grant programme focuses on topics such as strengthening diplomacy, support such as strengthening on topics diplomacy, focuses programme The grant countries. as interests and human rights abroad diaspora of Georgian protection lifestyle, healthy to identity. well as supporting return, national and cultural and maintaining Achievements programme new grant a brand established Georgia In 2019, in Georgia, processes development directed towards implement projects to that would like in destination to the rights of migrants and supporting access cooperation academic/scientific strategy, in the migration management process it is veryprocess management carry important to in the migration out policies that strategy, the in development socio-economic the for migrants and diaspora of potential the harness over the last two the developments Therefore, the increased decades have shown country. government, the Georgian of diaspora including in terms from interest in the diaspora current efforts. development and positive impact on strengtheningpotential Georgia’s Trends: of the a result betweenAs of the Mobility engagement Partnership the EU and Georgia, migration in the country’s diaspora Georgian reflected in Georgia’s is thoroughly development in the and development has included migration government the Georgian Therefore, policy. a include plans action annual whose 2021-2031 and 2016–2020 for Strategy Migration Georgian engagement. underlined within the migration As directed at diaspora number of programmes

and increases legal migration opportunities for the citizens of Georgia. With its 2021-2031 migration migration its 2021-2031 With Georgia. of citizens the opportunities for migration legal increases and migration put mainstreaming endorsement), to is continuing strategy the government (awaiting agenda. of its top at the development into steady improvement of migration management’s efficiency as one of the priorities for the Georgian for the Georgian efficiency as one of the priorities management’s of migration improvement steady a legislative and create, by 2020, to was policygovernment. of Georgia of the migration The goal facilitates the EU; to approximation enhanced that: ensures the state’s environment institutional rights and migrants’ protected and ethnic groups, religions, cultural of various cohabitation peaceful and the usage of returned migrants reintegration society; into promotes integration their successful of the country; the development for aspects of migration and demographic of positive economic The Lawof Georgia on Labour Migration intermediary through The law particularly emigration also citizens abroad, organisations. Georgian rights of labour migrants. of the the protection mechanisms for foresees StrategyMigration of Georgia of state policy with regard to compatriots residing abroad and establishes the grounds for the for the grounds establishes and residing abroad compatriots to policyof state with regard of status the legal define and to such policy, implement to in order authorities of the state activities organisations. and diaspora residing abroad compatriots The Organic LawCitizenship of Georgia on Georgian procedures. the naturalisation citizenship and modifies Law of Georgia on Compatriots Residing Abroad and Diaspora Organisations Diaspora Abroad and Residing Law Compatriots of Georgia on

6 http://migration.commission.ge/files/migration_strategy_2016-2020_eng_final_amended_08.2018.pdf 6 http://migration.commission.ge/files/migration_strategy_2016-2020_eng_final_amended_08.2018.pdf Initiatives” Diaspora is entitled “Supporting by by the Government of Georgia being implemented established programme 7 The grants approx. for grant a issued werethat each there2019 applications, in were selected applications 28 resultfor a call open an of As MFA. the 8,300EUR. http://gda.ge/news/sagranto-programa-diasporuli-initsiativebis-khelshetskoba 3 http://migration.commission.ge/files/law_on_compatriots_eng.pdf 3 http://migration.commission.ge/files/law_on_compatriots_eng.pdf 4 https://matsne.gov.ge/en/document/view/2342552?publication=5 5 https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/2806732?impose=translateEn&publication=3 • • • Overview policy of the framework and legislative •

2016 2020 2015

2014 2011

GEORGIA • • Obstacles 9 http://www.enigmma.ge/news/georgian-diaspora-awards-2019/ 8 http://gda.ge/Search?q=%E1%83%A4%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98 gian diaspora members isrecognisedandhighlypublicisedthrough nationalandinternational media. theachievements ofprominentfrom Geor diverse sectors implementingpilotactivities.As aresult, thatare in thedevelopment processes ofGeorgia. ofdiaspora Thisiscarriedoutbycreating anetwork professionals ly in Georgia. The main purpose is to attract and increase the involvement of high-profile diaspora members established incooperation withtheEU-funded organised Theawards are annual 2project. ICMPDENIGMMA andinternational was community diplomaticrepresentations oftheGovernment, high-level representatives A high-level ofGeorgia, event with theinvolvementofPresident Minister ofForeign Affairs andother High-Profile Diaspora Awards athleticsandculture. aswellyouthengagement, diplomacy cooperation philanthropy, inthefieldsofeconomics, opportunities business, education andscience, public ganisations, organising withtheaimofnetworking, workshops andthematicdiscussionsestablishing gian diaspora members, government officials,academia,civilsociety, private entities andinternational or The Georgian Diaspora Forum isorganised once ayear inTbilisi,Georgia. Itbringstogether prominent Geor Diaspora Forums SPOTLIGHT: • • connections to theirnationalsabroad. of thegovernment’s approach andcloser to diaspora establishing networking further engagement, Manyprogrammes/initiatives overall towards directed development. are improvement the country’s with itsrecent andhistoric diaspora byprioritisingdiaspora engagement andtherole ofdiaspora in to combat theGeorgian thischallenge, government began establishing trust initiativesto rebuild migrantsestablishing trustbetween andthegovernment Inlater years, becameachallenge. inorder Union, regaining Georgia’s nationalindependence economic andsevere crisesduringthe1990s, Trust: withinGeorgia.opportunities skills abroad that theywilling to are contribute to the labour market in Georgia do not always find standard ofliving. Migrants voluntarily havinggained whohavereturned educationand knowledge, many migrants consider immigration again inthesearch for better andahigher opportunities Return and reintegration: Portugal, Greece, ,Portugal, Greece, andIreland. ,,CzechRepublic, with:, migrationcircular underway schemesare ,, ,, scheme withFrance (initiated in2014 andratified in 2019); negotiations onestablishing The government has also made significant steps towards migration establishing acircular Having experienced several Havingexperienced waves ofemigration linked withthedissolutionofSoviet Effective practices 8 Dueto theunfavourable andreintegration return measures inthecountry, 9 - - - -

NETWORKS + NETWORKS HUMAN CAPITAL

GEORGIA - - - 11 10

12 www.gda.ge

10 http://www.enigmma.ge/about/ 10 http://www.enigmma.ge/about/ 11 http://www.enigmma.ge/en/?s=young+ambassadors 12 www.gda.ge with ongoing legislative and policy changes in the country and gain information on issues relevant for the for on issues relevant in the country legislative and policy changes with ongoing information and gain diaspora. This platform - developed by the Diaspora Relations Department within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department within the Ministry Relations by the Diaspora - developed Affairs of Foreign This platform network all over the world to up-to-date stay and from members diaspora an opportunity- provides for Diaspora Website Diaspora to increase awareness on ongoing political-economic or social issues in Georgia, to promote tourism, to to tourism, promote to awareness or social issues in Georgia, political-economic increase on ongoing to other youth and local residents in networking activities. The pro engage investment and to encourage ICMPD ENIGMMA project. 2 with the EU-funded in cooperation is implemented gramme This annual programme is designed for Georgian youth living abroad to represent their respec in to Georgia youth living abroad Georgian is designed for This annual programme is the objective of the programme and educational events; cultural through of residence tive countries Young Ambassadors Programme Ambassadors Young Georgia on diaspora engagement in times of crisis. Recommendations provided in this document are based provided in times of crisis. Recommendations engagement on diaspora Georgia during the engaged representatives and other stakeholders diaspora shared by Georgian on suggestions in host countries. workshops MICIC project The Migrants in Countries in Crisis: Supporting an Evidence-Based Approach for Effective and Cooperative Cooperative and Effective for an Evidence-Based Supporting Approach in Crisis: in Countries The Migrants policy developed guidelines with by ICMPD) implemented (MICIC, funded by the EU, project Action State Policy Guidelines on Diaspora Engagement in Crisis Management Engagement Policyon Diaspora Guidelines Spain. The guidelines provide comprehensive information on specific laws and is to the regulations related comprehensive information provide Spain. The guidelines employment, guidelines were issues. The social security developed and other persistent sues of residency, ICMPD ENIGMMA 2 project. within the EU-funded In order to support the access to rights that Georgian migrant and diaspora communities are in to entitled communities and diaspora migrant that Georgian rights to support the access to In order related have been developed legislation on national migration of destination, the guidelines the countries – Greece, and migrants Georgian of three on the with the highest concentration EU MSs focusing Legal Migration Guidelines Migration Legal

NETWORK RESPONSE RIGHTS

NETWORK

YOUTH + + YOUTH CRISIS MIGRANT

GEORGIA ganisations suchasICMPD, IOM,UNHCRandNGOsworkingonmigration calledto thequarterly issuesare ofFinance andtheNationalStatisticsable Development; Office theMinistry ofGeorgia. International or Social Affairs; ofEconomy and Sustain of Education, Science, theMinistry andSport; Culture theMinistry ofInternally Displaced Persons from theOccupiedTerritories, theMinistry Service; rity Labour, Health and ofForeign Affairs; theMinistry ofInternal members oftheSCMIare: theMinistry Affairs; the State Secu to develop Thepermanent andimplementacoherent migration ensuringproper policy management. The Commission is a coordinative body of all the State Institutions working on migration issuesand aims http://migration.commission.ge/index.php?article_id=1&clang=1 State Commission onMigration Issues • Diaspora relatedinstitutions List ofActors Annex: sons, integration activities andvarious cultural events. The organisation inAthens pridesitselffor providing Georgian withaSunday children school,dancingles Caucasus Cultural Center activities. lessons andothernetworking GeorgianThe associationsupports migrants in Poland, prividing cultural events, language lessons, dance Association GeorgianDiaspora inPoland involved invarious development activities. None oftheorganisations workingondevelopment projects, currently are buthavethepotential to get Diaspora organisationsinEurope Georgian communities abroad. Diaspora Relations aimsto Department implementindividuallydesignedinitiativesandprogrammes for ondiasporamenting thestate strategy andmaintaining theprofile ofmigrantsresiding abroad. The forresponsible contacts maintaining andstrengthening withGeorgians abroad, developing andimple ofForeign Affairs.established attheMinistry Until today,remains themaininstitution thisdepartment In 2016, the Diaspora due to of the Georgian the reshuffling Relations Department government, was Diaspora Relations Department contributes to theformation ofabetter worldcommunity. Carries out Georgia’s and national protectinginterests, the rights of Georgian citizens outside the country ofForeign Affairs ofGeorgia Ministry sittings oftheCommission asconsultative members. • { National institutions { At ministerial level Greece 2006 2016

2016 https://el-gr.facebook.com/CaucasusCentreAthens/ 2010 https://www.facebook.com/disporagruzinskawpolsceofficial/ https://mfa.gov.ge/

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GEORGIA - - www.satvistomo.net www.diasporadevelopment.eu

Germany 1945 Germany 1945 Greece Find out more at 2016

https://www.facebook.com/IN.sarajishvili.3 Keti Gorgoshidze Keti EUDiF April 2020 Written by: Written Edited by: The Athens based association provides Georgian children with lessons, dance classes, lessons, dance language children with Georgian Georgian based association provides The Athens issues such as leg on various with consultations and more. migrants In addition, the association provides permit, the residence islation, obtaining and job-relatedproblems. integration Greek-Georgian Cultural Association Cultural Greek-Georgian https://www.facebook.com/HellenicGeorgianCulturalAssociation/ language lessons, consultations, dance classes, cultural events and more. events classes, cultural dance lessons, consultations, language Georgischer Verein in Deutschland e.V. e.V. in Deutschland Georgischer Verein and one of the most prominent. in Munich is the oldest in Germany provide They organisation The diaspora cluding sports and youth engagement. Georgian Diaspora in the UK Georgian Diaspora in events, and other cultural classes, dance with language migrants Georgian provides The organisation The association provides support to migrants as well as organising cultural events. cultural as organising as well migrants support to provides The association http://georgiensenfrance.fr/?fbclid=IwAR0SOo5iKn3CzvW1GIR9XceaMR3yY5h1Z_vv9AJY2EmImsBB_ FEtIDL_1vA Georgian Association in Georgian

GEORGIA