LABOUR MARKET OUTCOMES OF ROMANIAN MIGRANTS UNDER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND DIGITALISATION CHALLENGES: A SPATIAL BOOTSTRAP APPROACH

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The research conducted in this chapter approaches a topical subject and examines the labour market advancement of Romanian migrants within several receiving economies across the European Union, as well as the impact of international migration on the Romanian economy and labour market, also considering the present context of the Covid-19 pandemic and digitalisation challenges. Method: The methodology embeds spatial bootstrap analysis (spatial lag and error models) applied to a newly compiled dataset for Romania during 2000–2020. Findings: Main findings of the current research update and complement the specialised literature with new data on Romanian migration by identifying unknown potential reasons that generated the departure of the Romanian labour force abroad and several credentials of the return migration intentions and strategies. Originality and significance of findings: The results mainly entail some of the essential effects generated by the Covid-19 pandemic regarding the interplay between the labour market and international migration, with a keen focus on Romania. © 2022 by Marilen Gabriel Pirtea, Graţiela Georgiana Noja, Mirela Cristea and Irina-Maria Grecu.