313,411 Serbian citizens working abroad

BELGRADE - A total of 313,411 Serbian citizens are staying abroad temporarily for work or other purposes, which constitutes 4.2 percent of the total number of the country's population, and their average age is 34.7, which makes them considerably younger compared to the average age of Serbian citizens (42.2 years), show the results of the latest census of population from 2011.

Viewed according to their sex, men are more numerous among external migrants (53.4 percent) compared to the overall population in which women are more prominent in number (51.3 percent), states the publication issued by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (RZZS) entitled 'Serbian process of external migrations' authored by Vladimir Stankovic.

According to the publication, Serbia is home to 234,932 returnees from temporary work or stay aboard. According to destination countries, slightly over 50 percent of external migrants are working or staying in Austria (22.5 percent), Germany (17.9 percent) and Switzerland (13.1 percent). The study aims to contribute to evaluation of the scope and dynamics of external migration and increasingly frequent departure of young university holders, which constitutes an incalculable economic and demographic loss for Serbia.