Republic of Moldova — The Impact of the War in Ukraine on the Moldovan Returnees from Abroad (Feb-Jun 2023)

The onset of the war in Ukraine has caused substantial displacement of people both within the Republic of Moldova’s borders and throughout the neighbouring region. The refugee situation is coupled with significant movement flows of Moldovan labour migrants returning from abroad, in particular from Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and other neighbouring countries. The effects of the Ukraine crisis, combined with the lingering consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic could potentially change the Republic of Moldova’s migration dynamics, leading to a decrease in emigration and an increase in the number of Moldovan citizens returning home.
This may have severe long term effects on the already strained Moldovan economy hindering its capacity to respond to the humanitarian and economic challenges attendant to the Ukrainian crisis. There are major gaps in data on Moldovan returnees, including information on their socio-economic profiles, needs and vulnerabilities as well as their intentions for their future. To fill those gaps the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as the leading inter-governmental organization promoting humane and orderly migration, has conducted a survey with Moldovan returnees in order to assess how the war in Ukraine has affected them.