Potential migration of the population from the country to Sofia

"Potential migration of the population in the country to Sofia" is a nationally representative sociological survey, which makes an estimated assessment of the size of the expected migration flows from the country to Sofia Municipality. The study was commissioned by Sofiaplan and contractor Regiostat EOOD, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alexander Tsvetkov and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yordan Kalchev. The field work was carried out by the Market Links agency.

The object of the study is the population aged between 16 - 65 years, who are permanent residents of the country. The method of data registration is a standardized survey, which included 2800 people from all over the country in the period April - May 2019. The results show the factors shaping the migratory behavior of the population and give a typology of the main groups of people who would settle permanently on the territory of Sofia Municipality according to different socio-demographic and economic characteristics.

According to the data from the survey, over 64% of the respondents stated that they have lived since birth in the settlements of the Sofia Municipality. The rest have moved at different times to the settlement in which they now live. Therefore, the scope and intensity of the migration is 36 percent. Nearly 30% of migrants have settled in the settlements of the municipality in the last ten years.

The largest is the relative share of migrants who came from small towns outside the borders of Sofia Municipality. The share (28%) of migrants from the regional cities in the country is also close in value. Those who moved from the villages outside the municipality are 15 percent.

The potential migration of the residents of the Sofia Municipality is aimed mainly at relocation to another country. 57% of potential migrants are expected to relocate in this direction. 15% of them will go to small towns and villages in the country, and 7% to regional towns. Within the municipality, the relocations are about 3 percent.