STATE COMMISSION ON MIGRATION ISSUES 2017 MIGRATION PROFILE OF GEORGIA 2017 TBILISI, GEORGIA 1 2017 MIGRATION PROFILE OF GEORGIA Unofficial Translation Acknowledgments The development of the present document was made possible thanks to the data provided and the useful rec- ommendations shared by the members of the State Commission on Migration Issues (SCMI),1 which helped us both in the interpretation of data and presentation of the most comprehensive picture of the ongoing migra- tory processes in the country. Moreover, the Secretariat of the State Commission on Migration Issues extends its gratitude to the European Union (EU) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD/ENIGMMA Project) for the technical support provided during the development of this Migration Profile (MP). As in the case of the 2015 MP, the State Commission on Migration Issues has relied on the experience and recom- mendations of international organisations, as well as local civil society and academia representatives involved in migration management-related activities, to further improve the MP development process and ensure that the document serves as a reliable resource for all stakeholders involved in the field of migration, whether they be from the fields of academic research, teaching, policy development or management. © Secretariat of the State Commission on Migration Issues 1 Members of the State Commission on Migration Issues: the Ministry of Justice (MoJ); the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA); the State Security Service (SSSG); the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA); the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees (MRA); the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs (MoLHSA); the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES); the Office of the State Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration (OSMEAI); the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (MoESD); the Ministry of Finance (MoF); the National Statistics Office of Georgia (GeoStat); the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure (MRDI). 2 2017 MIGRATION PROFILE OF GEORGIA Contents List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................5 General Country Information .....................................................................................................................7 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................9 Situation Analysis and Migratory Trends ...................................................................................................10 1. Emigration ....................................................................................................................................12 1.1. Overview of Emigrants ........................................................................................................12 1.2. Regular Emigration .............................................................................................................15 1.2.1. Schengen Visa Applications .................................................................................................15 1.2.2. Residence Permits in EU Countries .......................................................................................17 1.2.3. Russia .................................................................................................................................18 1.2.4. USA ....................................................................................................................................19 1.2.5. Turkey ................................................................................................................................20 1.3. International Protection ......................................................................................................20 1.4. Irregular Migration of Georgian Citizens to EU/Schengen Countries .......................................23 1.4.1. Refusal of entry ...................................................................................................................23 1.4.2. Illegal Border Crossing .........................................................................................................25 1.4.3. Apprehension of Emigrants due to Irregular Stay ..................................................................25 1.5. Impact of Emigration ...........................................................................................................25 1.5.1. Demographic Dimension.....................................................................................................25 1.5.2. Remittances ........................................................................................................................26 1.5.3. Diaspora Engagement .........................................................................................................30 1.5.4. Skill Development and Knowledge Networks .......................................................................31 2. Immigration ..................................................................................................................................34 2.1. Overview of Immigration .....................................................................................................34 2.1.1. Naturalisation .....................................................................................................................39 2.1.2. Educational Immigrants ......................................................................................................40 2.1.3. Labour Immigrants..............................................................................................................42 2.1.4. Foreign Entrepreneurs/Investors ..........................................................................................43 2.2. Economic Impact of Immigration .........................................................................................45 3 2017 MIGRATION PROFILE OF GEORGIA 2.3. Integration of Foreigners .....................................................................................................48 2.4. International Protection in Georgia ......................................................................................49 2.4.1. Integration of Persons Granted International Protection ........................................................51 2.5. Foreigners in an Irregular Situation ......................................................................................52 2.5.1. Detection of Foreigners in an Irregular Situation ...................................................................52 2.5.2. Expulsion of Foreigners in an Irregular Situation ...................................................................53 3. Return and Reintegration ..............................................................................................................54 3.1. Return Migration .................................................................................................................54 3.1.1. Readmission .......................................................................................................................55 3.2. Reintegration of Returning Georgian Citizens .......................................................................55 4. Internal Migration .........................................................................................................................56 4.1. Internally Displaced Persons ................................................................................................57 4.2. Ecological Migrants .............................................................................................................58 4.3. Population Living on the Territory of the Occupied Regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia ....................................................................................59 4.4. Rural-Urban-Rural Migration ................................................................................................60 5. Trafficking in Persons ....................................................................................................................61 6. Migration Management .................................................................................................................63 6.1. Migration Policy Framework ................................................................................................63 6.2. Legislative Framework .........................................................................................................66 6.3. Institutional Framework ......................................................................................................67 7. Main Findings ...............................................................................................................................69 8. Major Challenges and Recommendations ......................................................................................72 4 2017 MIGRATION PROFILE OF GEORGIA List of Acronyms and Abbreviations2 AA Association Agreement ACT Analysis & Consulting Team ATIP Fund State Fund for Protection and Assistance of (Statutory) Victims of Human Trafficking AVRR Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Chevening International Grants Programme of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. CRRC Caucasus Research Resource