Torsello, Davide - Pappová, Melinda: Social Networks in Movement. Time, interaction and interethnic spaces in Central Eastern Europe - Nostra Tempora 8. (Somorja-Dunaszerdahely, 2003)

Interaction, migration and change

Migration from the former Soviet Union 211

11. Migration from the former Soviet Union to the Czech Republic: Comparing the cases of re-settlers from areas affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Kazakhstan and labour migration from Subcarpathian Ukraine1

Zdenëk Uherek - Katerina Plochová

Besides migration between the Czech Republic and Slovakia, migration from the CIS states represents the most numerous and most diverse migration flow to the Czech Republic. The strongest immigrant flow comes from Ukraine, followed by that from Russia; but there are also newcomers from Byelorussia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldavia and other CIS states. The consequences of this immigration have led to considerable changes in the labour market and the community relations in the Czech Republic.

In this paper we will concentrate on two different migration groups: the first is composed almost exclusively of temporary labour migrants from Ukraine to the Czech Republic,2 and the second is composed of so called re-settlers - people who form well bounded communities from the former Soviet Union. Members of these communities, often descendants of earlier immigrants to the Ukrainian countryside from the Czech Lands in the 19"’ century, have permanently resettled in the Czech Lands and are showing a strong desire to integrate themselves fully into Czech society.3 The aim of this paper is to compare the aforementioned groups and to suggest what factors prevent the risks of migration flows.

Labour Migration from the Ukraine after 1989

For inhabitants of the post-communist Czech Republic, labour migration from Ukraine is a new phenomenon. During the