ABSTRACT
This study is the first to examine recent migration from Bosnia and Herzegovina to China in the 21(st) century. It gives an overview of new Chinese geopolitical and economic circumstances, a historical analysis of migration flows between China and the rest of the world from the 19th to the 21st century, and a survey of recent emigration flows from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The second part presents the results of an empirical study of labour migration from Bosnia and Herzegovina to China and the experiences of 25 migrants, which was conducted using structured interviews The research results show that most in the group plan to stay in China permanently. Some would like to move to North America or Australia. It is characteristic that there are no gender gaps in terms of qualifications or career ambitions. The measures to combat COVID-19 implemented by the Chinese government affected the respondents in different ways.
ABSTRACT
The article deals with the contemporary labor migrations from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Slovenia and the other countries of European Union, specifically during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the basis of fieldwork among the participants in these migrations, it seeks to identify the specifics of circumstances and situations that arose suddenly with the closure of political borders and the demands of social di-stancing. In these circumstances, we supposed that labor migrants found themselves to be a particularly vulnerable group of population. The case study has denied that this is completely true. On the other hand, labor migrations from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Central, Western and North European and some non-European countries have been a continuous process for the last century and at least migration flows must be taken as a fact which directions, volumes and character are greatly influenced by labor market regulations in each individual EU member and other states. Periodically, specific political and social situations also gain importance. The COVID-19 pandemic has exactly such an impact. © 2020, University of Ljubljana. All rights reserved.