LABOR MARKET AND MIGRATION OF SKILLED WORKERS ABROAD

High unemployment rate in Slovakia is one of the most severe economic and social problems that has long prevented the full potential of the country's economic growth. The last time there was high unemployment, together with a decrease in employment, occurred during the economic downfall as a result of the global crisis. The adverse effects of the crisis mainly affected the category of disadvantaged persons. Structural and regional unemployment is also a persistent problem. Employment growth is a key issue for companies, however, this phenomenon threatens labour migration abroad which has, among other impacts, resulted in the loss of tax revenues and social contributions to the state budget. The situation in the labour market and the migration of the skilled workforce abroad are narrowly connected. People tend to migrate in periods of high unemployment and unfavourable economic development. On the one hand, migration does contribute to lower unemployment rate but also has a negative side: the loss of financial resources, which were originally spent on education, results in a shortage of required qualifications in many sectors and professions in the workforce. Because of this worrying emigration flow, we can consider the representation of a highly qualified workforce. There is also a trend in the growth of number of young people leaving the country to study abroad. It is true that science and research, innovation, information technology and especially educated people are among the priorities of each country. The aim of this paper is to identify and evaluate the development of ongoing problems in the Slovak labour market as well as indicate the qualitative extent of labour migration and the causes of changes in the structure of migrants from Slovakia.