Introduction

The profile of migration rates in the Baltic states has gradually shifted from one of net immigration to one of net emigration. Although each of the Baltic states experienced positive net migration during the period leading up to and comprising the Soviet era, a series of demographic shifts has since altered the migratory dynamics of the region. The historically less populous countries of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are today facing considerable demographic challenges, as decreasing fertility rates, increasing mortality rates and population aging are coupled with high rates of emigration. As Krisjane, Berzins and Bauls (2009) observed, migration across the region is expanding under circumstances of depopulation.

These circumstances are both variable and complex. They are the partial derivatives of evolving economic, political and institutional conditions both in-country and abroad. Among the ancillary aims of this chapter is to examine how these and other conditions have affected regional population levels and, in turn, migration patterns over time. The chapter's main purpose, however, is to provide an illustrative overview of migration trends and dynamics in the Baltic region. Topics will include the characteristics and movements of discrete migrant groups, the organisation and impact of social networks and the behavioural attributes of migrants taking part in those networks. In addition, an in-depth analysis of Latvian migration trends will be presented, with an eye to differentiating Latvia from other A-8 countries.

The structure of this chapter is thus as follows. It begins with a brief overview of theoretical concepts taken from relevant literature to illustrate migration trends in the Baltic countries today. These concepts are applied to both historical and present-day phenomena. Next, empirical data on Latvian migrants to the United Kingdom are presented. Certain novel characteristics of these migrant groups, which became especially prevalent after the 2004 enlargement of the European Union, are then highlighted and show that during the recent global economic crisis, out-migration from Latvia grew. The chapter concludes with several observations about the impact of economic hardship on emigration and the importance of social networks in facilitating transnational movement.

The changing face of migration in the Baltic states

Migration trends in CEE have received significant attention from scholars in recent years (see Kahanec & Zimmermann 2009, 2010; Kaczmarczyk & Okólski 2008b; White & Ryan 2008; Wadensjö 2007; Glytsos 2009; Galgoczi, Leschke & Watt 2009; Barrett & Duffy 2008).