Survey: “Ukrainians of Rome and the world economic crisis”

On June 15, 2009, a survey was conducted, at the social services center that operates under the auspices of the Christian Society of Ukrainians in Italy, on the topic “Ukrainians of Rome and the world economic crisis.” One hundred citizens of Ukraine, who live and work in Rome, answered the questions in the questionnaire. The information was then compiled through the help of the SPSS-10 program. The socio-demographic details of the polled Ukrainian emigrants in Italy confirmed the results of a previous survey. Women formed the majority – constituting 82%, while 18% were men. About 92% of the respondents were from Western Ukraine (Lviv, Ivano-Frankivs’k, Ternopil’, Chernivtsi and Zakarpattya areas). As for educational status, 54% of the respondents had completed middle-specialist school, 32% higher education and 14% middle school. The average age of the respondents was 48, ranging from 18 to 66 years of age. About 60% of the emigrants who took part in the survey had been in Italy for more than 8 years (median – 7.7 years, ranging from 1 to 12 years), while 1% have lived in Italy for 20 years or more. Of the 82% that work for families, 51% took care of patients, 3% looked after children and 28% did domestic work (household chores). All of the respondents were aware of the world economic crisis. The majority of them, 74%, can feel its consequences, despite being in Italy, and 26% did not feel an impact. The families of the emigrants are much worse off back in Ukraine. In fact, 93% of respondents claimed that their relatives felt the consequences of crisis. Among the most common consequences of the crisis, the Ukrainian respondents identified: loss of work (14.3% in Italy, 20.5% in Ukraine), decreasing salary (21.9% in Italy, 18.4% in Ukraine), decreases in purchasing power of money (44.8% in Italy, 37.3% in Ukraine), problems with repayment of loans (11.4% in Italy, 13.5% in Ukraine), and others (7.6% in Italy, 10.3% in Ukraine).  During this difficult time period, emigrants act as a critical social buffer for their families in Ukraine. Thus, 34% of those polled increased the amount of money they send back to Ukraine. Will the economic crisis instigate a mass return of the workers back to Ukraine? Only 19% of those polled answered in the positive (they consisted mostly of people over the age of 60 as well as illegal workers who not have the possibility to gain legal status) while 77% do not plan to return home as a result of the crisis, and 4% have not yet determined their plan. Did Ukraine forget about the emigrants? 95% of the polled emigrants do not feel supported by the Ukrainian government while abroad. Only 1% percent of those polled support the government initiative to tax emigrants, however 97% do not support it.  “The Christian Society of Ukrainians in Italy plans to more frequently conduct surveys on relevant themes,” – commented the head of the Society, Oles’ Horodetskyj,  - “as their answers will help fill in the information gap when it comes to studying the problems associated with migration and will help to make more effective solutions both in Italy and Ukraine. Additionally, the results of similar surveys will lay to rest assumptions on the theme of migration by Ukrainian and Italian politicians. ” The Christian Society of Ukrainians in Italy expresses its gratitude to the monastery of Fathers Basilian (Rome), pastor of the community church of Serhiy and Bacchus (Rome) and to Ukrainian Sunday school (Rome) for all their assistance in conducting the survey.

Press-service of the Christian Society of Ukrainians in Italy

Translated by the Information Department of the UGCC