Good news for guest workers: minister says Hungary needs them!
The Hungarian government announced an ambitious economic and wage growth plan to reach a HUF 1 million average wage and EUR 1,000 minimum wage by 2028. Márton Nagy, Hungary’s national economy minister, said the realisation needs guest workers because the Hungarian job market is tight.
Anti-migration and anti-guest worker campaign
The Hungarian government initiated a large-scale campaign against illegal migration in 2015. They said that migrants could not take the jobs of the Hungarians. The communication strategy was beneficial. The migration crisis is still present in Hungary and Europe. Orbán’s position (and the related smear campaign) gained at least one supermajority in the 2018 general elections.
Government communication has undergone multiple fine-tuning since then. Illegal migrants are still red flags for the Orbán cabinet. Therefore, they threaten Brussels to take illegal migrants to Brussels by bus if the European Union does not stop slamming and fining Hungary for protecting its Southern borders against the illegal influx.
Bence Rétvári, the secretary of state of the Interior Ministry, held a press conference on the issue in front of some buses. Photo: Facebook/Rétvári Bence
Number of guest workers rising in Hungary
On the other hand, an increasing number of guest workers are occupying vacant positions in more and more sectors. Furthermore, some Chinese investments come to Hungary only if they can bring their workers to ease unemployment at home.
Moreover, the number of Hungarians working abroad for higher wages or jobs creating more added value is growing. As a result, the Orbán cabinet made it easier for Filippino, Vietnamese, Krygyz and other Asian guest workers to come to Hungary and generate GDP here. In June, their number exceeded a psychological barrier. According to the statistics of the Hungarian National Bank, 100,000 guest workers were in Hungary, with 20,000 Ukrainians among them.
Photo: depositphotos.com
The tight Hungarian job market needs guest workers
Márton Nagy, Hungary’s national economy minister, talked about the tight Hungarian labour market in an award ceremony this week. He said Hungary was Europe’s 7th country concerning employment rate with 81%. Their aim is 85%, which would mean 2nd place following Sweden by 2030.
He said the tight Hungarian labour market needed guest workers, who could be here for 2+1 years. Meanwhile, the government would like to spend more on retraining and mobilising the inactive and unemployed.
Ambitious wage rise project
The minister said that the Hungarian government wants the average wage to reach HUF 1 million (EUR 2,500) and the minimum wage to rise to EUR 1,000 by 2028. He said those plans could be realised if economic growth reaches 3-4%. He added the wage convergence programme should be responsible and follow the country’s economic growth.
Can the government programs mobilise the inactive? Photo: Facebook.com/szijjarto.peter.official
Apart from the wage convergence programme and inviting more guest workers to Hungary, the Orbán cabinet would like to provide affordable housing for locals and help the SME sector scale up.
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5 Comments
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Shouldn’t they bring unemployment down to zero, and train the Hungarian workfare workers to do the basic jobs first before talking about importing huge numbers of “guest workers”? What benefit is it to Hungary if all the jobs go to guest workers?
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Falland, these guest workers will pay taxes, hence the pensioners wage of the older and older native Hungarians. I am not sure if this is going to happen, but maybe when the population shrinks even further, there will be only guest workers to keep flowing money to the old people here.
BTW this link is not working any longer, such convenient for orban uh?
https://2015-2019.kormany.hu/en/the-prime-minister/the-prime-minister-s-speeches/prime-minister-viktor-orban-on-kossuth-radio-s-180-minutes-programme-20170908
In the time, orban said that hungary did not need guest workers, now the pro peace goverment say it does without acknowledge mistakes
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Anti-immigrant agitprop works in Hungary as many don’t realise or understand it’s undergoing demographic decline ie. fewer working age tax payers vs more pensioners.
Can always cut budgets for health care, education, pensions etc.?
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Firstly, Hungary should round up all the bums, gypsies, etc., train and school them, and set them to work.
Secondly, If we must, get workers from Moldova, Serbia, Macedonia, etc., not the Indian subcontinent.
Lastly, all “guest workers” are here for 1-2 years, cannot sponsor any family member, cannot get residence through marriage, cannot claim asylum, have no path to residence or citizenship EVER, and must leave at the end of their visa expiry.
Under such terms, I support a very limited number of them brought in. Otherwise, HELL NO!!!
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hey Fidesz, pelease listen and please Mr steiner. If you dont comply, you Will lose one of your biggest supporters!🤣