Expert: Inflow of migrants-seasonal workers from Russia will have negative impact on level of unemployment in Armenia

ArmInfo. In conditions of economic downfall in Russia inflow of seasonal workers will have negative impact on employment situation in Armenia, Head of State Employment Agency of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia Artak Mangasaryan told ArmInfo's correspondent noting that majority of migrants-Armenian citizens will come from Russia.

He noted that State Employment Agency intends to neutralize expected consequences of increasing unemployment with the help of programs on regulation of employment, which were developed during2015.

"In case of necessity if the number of migrants increases, Government of Armenia will take additional measures for mitigating the situation forecasted by the experts", Mangasaryan said.

The Head of State Employment Agency was not able to give any direct forecasts, due to lack of concrete data about the number of migrants-seasonal workers from Russia.

According to the data of State Employment Agency, as of December 31, 2015 89 thousand people were registered as job searchers, from which 76.7 thousand people had status of unemployed.

According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, 88.9 thousand people were in search of job as of December 1 2015, which is by 15.6% more than indicators of 2014. As of October 1, 2015 the level of unemployment in Armenia reached 18%.  To note, in 2014 the level on unemployment in the country was 17.6% according to the official data of statisticians and in 2013 it was 16.2%.