“More than half of Tunisian youth and those with higher education are considering emigrating,” according to a recent survey by Afrobarometer.
The survey involved a sample of 1,200 Tunisian adults in April-May 2018.
Overall, a third of Tunisians have considered emigrating, including 23% who have “thought a lot” about it. However, only one in ten potential emigrants is currently preparing to leave.
Emigration :
main reasons
Among the causes of immigration: the search for better work opportunities, economic difficulties and poverty are among the main reasons why they want to leave the country. As for the destination of choice, 57% of those concerned choose Europe and secondly North America (15%).
In addition, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has reported that between 2011 and 2017, around 94,000 people left Tunisia, 84% of them to Europe.
Another element, since January 14, illegal immigration has experienced a spectacular leap, says the International Organization for Migration.
According to the Afrobarometer, a third or 35% of Tunisians have considered settling in another country. And 23% of Tunisians said they had “thought about it” a lot.
One in ten citizens say they are prepared to leave the country
Young people are more likely to think of leaving Tunisia than adults. Clearly, interest in emigration increases sharply with education, rising from 8% among illiterate people to 53% among those with post-secondary education. As a result, the rate is increasing among men (39%). As for women, it is up to 31% and finally for rural people, it is 28%.
As a result, almost one in ten citizens who have considered emigrating say they are prepared to leave. And three in ten citizens plan to leave the country in the next two years, but have not yet started preparations.
According to the Afrobarometer, one in ten Tunisians wants to get out of poverty (10%) while others are in search of a better democratic environment, individual freedom, human rights and civil liberties (9 %).
