Migratory Streams in Central Europe: Highly Educated Slovak Nationals Employed in the Czech Labor Market
Abstract
This paper is a result of a cooperative research project which focused on the experience of highly-skilled Slovak migrants in the Czech Republic, with a focus on the capitol region. The results presented here are based on a survey of a random sample of Slovak migrants (not all highly-skilled) collected via both a snowball sample and via an online portal used primarily by Slovak nationals.
The data has been run through the IBM SPSS data analysis program. Taking into account three different theoretical approaches: rational expectations, segmented labor market theory and social capital theory the authors have utilized each theory in determining the rational for migration decision making.
The results of the research confirm past analysis of the same problematic, yet contribute in the area of distance perception and migration awareness among highly-skilled Slovak migrants. The research shows that Slovak highlyskilled migrants do not perceive migration into the Czech Republic as ‘real’ migration, but any further step ‘west or otherwise’ would be considered as such.