Please note that on our website we use cookies to enhance your experience, and for analytics purposes. To learn more about our cookies, please read our privacy policy. By clicking ‘Allow cookies’, you agree to our use of cookies. By clicking ‘Decline cookies’, you don’t agree to our Privacy Policy.

No translations available

Supporting Central Asian Migrants in Financial Difficulties in Lithuania

14 January 2025

Vilnius, Lithuania: 2024

Support for migrants, particularly in cases of financial disputes with employers, is crucial to their successful integration into a foreign country. In Lithuania, the Kazakh community organisation  “Nursaulė,”  provides legal protection and social networking  to Kazakh and Kyrgyz migrants, who often face unique hardships when working far from home. Interviews with migrants underscore the importance of resilience and adaptability  when  facing unforeseen challenges in a foreign country.

For Alisher, Damir, Eldar, and Marat, all migrants from Central Asia, the journey to Lithuania was not without its challenges. Obtaining a work visa and residence permit took between four to five months. When they started their jobs in September 2023, salaries were paid on time, and they travelled for work not only within Lithuania but also to Sweden and Belgium. A month later ,  workers were only receiving partial payments, typically ranging from 100 to 300 euros. In January 2024, the company officially declared bankruptcy, leaving the workers with few options—either seek new employment or return home.

Some, such as Damir, chose to remain in Lithuania, while others, like Eldar, Alisher, and Marat, returned to their home countries. Once the company declared bankruptcy, the workers sought assistance from Lithuanian Kazakh community “Nursaulė.” The legal process lasted months, but the efforts yielded results, with some migrants already having received part of their outstanding wages.

Interviews with Alisher, Damir, and Eldar shed a light on the situation of migrants in Lithuania. Despite the financial difficulties, all three expressed positive views about the country and their overall experience. Alisher noted that he appreciated the working conditions, culture, and schedule in Lithuania. Damir, despite the wage delays, expressed interest in taking up employment with another company in Lithuania in the future. Eldar said wage delays were a source of stress and he was happy to return to his home country, noting that he had missed his family during his time abroad.

The interviews also highlighted key pieces of advice for future migrants. While Alisher urged others to consider working in Lithuania, citing the favourable working conditions, Damir stressed the importance of resilience. Eldar advised future migrants to be prepared for the unexpected when adapting to life in a new country.

In Lithuania, the Kazakh community organisation “Nursaulė,” implementing their project Steps towards the integration of migrants from Central Asia under the MARIO programme, provide assistance to Kazakh and Kyrgyz migrant workers in financial difficulty through legal assistance and social support.

MARIO is funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (2021-27) of the European Union (ref: 101091387).

This content is a guest post from one of our partner organizations about their work as part of our ‘Minorities, Accountability, Rights, Independence and Organisational Development’ programme. This article reflects the opinion of its author only and does not engage MRG’s responsibility. Learn more >

Author(s)

Nursaulė

Company/Organisation