The main push factors for Moldovans migration are of economic nature, mainly poverty, lack of employment opportunities and low salaries.  The main countries of destination are Russia (over 40 per cent) and Italy (over 25 per cent). Other preferred destination countries are also: The United Kingdom, Portugal, Greece, Ireland, Ukraine, Turkey, Spain and others.   

Overall migration trends did not change significantly in 2016-2017, continuing a decreasing trend in the last couple of years. After almost two years of decline, remittances have rebounded to the 2015 level, nearing USD 213 million in the third quarter of 2017, fueling consumption and demand, and are projected to maintain a stable trend in the short term. At the same time, remittance income has diminished by 1.7 per cent, due to the appreciation of the Moldovan currency, and wage and price increases.  

The Government of Moldova is carrying out an initiative to link migrants with their native localities and actively engage them in local development, at all stages. The concept of mainstreaming migration into local development is piloted in two phases in 38 target Moldovan communities. Below are some highlights on achievements to-date: 

• All 38 localities successfully mainstreamed migration into local development, both at institutional (mayors and migration focal points designated and capacitated, local migration databases launched and updated regularly) and policy level (local socio-economic strategies developed/fully mainstreamed with migration aspects), through large consultations with migrants during the entire process;  
• All 38 local communities established Hometown Associations as an institutional mechanism for migrants’ continuous and effective engagement in local planning and development; 
• A local crowd-funding platform was launched and successfully tested as an instrument for alternative funding for local development, with migrants’ communities support, thus empowering local governments to use this tool for ensuring large-scale and well channeled financial contributions from Diaspora for joint local services projects. 
• Over 200 small and medium initiatives were jointly implemented by migrants, and local authorities, in the field of education, culture, health, and social care within 2 years. 
• 36 local services development projects were launched and implemented through a local crowdfunding platform, Guvern24, co-funded and co-implemented, in partnership, by local public authorities and migrants. Hence, about 9,000 migrants successfully contributed with over 3.5 million dollars to bring better local services in their native cities and villages.  
• Migration is mainstreamed in the National Employment Strategy for 2017-2021. The document envisages capitalizing on the benefits of labour migration, diversifying opportunities for circular migration and facilitating reintegration of returned migrants, including their economic empowerment. 
• The automated information system of the National Employment Agency was updated to allow a better collection of data about their returned migrants beneficiaries. Now Government representatives, partner beneficiaries have better capacities to develop reintegration policies and local employment agencies can better serve the returned migrants.