Migrant-Serfs: Ukraine’s Government Itself Wants to Create Agreements With EU Countries Needing Ukraine’s Workers

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has spoken with E.U. and U.S. diplomats about the possibility of sending Ukrainian workers abroad for seasonal labour. But what mechanisms can the Cabinet of Ministers use to decide whether or not Ukrainians are allowed to go abroad for work or not is far from clear.

Shmyhal met with both E.U. ambassador Matti Maasikas and U.S. acting ambassador Kristina Kvien, saying that “the government is ready for negotiations with European countries which have shown interest in officially welcoming Ukrainian workers for seasonal work,” on his Facebook page.

He noted that an important prerequisite for sending workers abroad is “a legal employment duration starting from three months, and encompassing all Ukrainian social guarantees and labor conditions.”

The PM added that so far, Ukraine has only received an official request from Finland, though it’s waiting for others. The Office of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration has been tapped to coordinate the process.

But critics are pointing out that the government does not have a legal basis on which to control the movement of Ukrainians out of the country – for work or otherwise.

READ MORE: Why the Ukrainian Government Is Keeping Its Labor Migrants At Home