Hungary offers cash to entice its young people home

“COME home, young person!” This place is so desperate to stop its residents from leaving, that it’s doing something very unusual.

IN AN unusual bid to stop the exodus of its young people, Hungary has offered to pay them a monthly allowance to stay home.

The campaign, “Come home, young person!”, is an attempt by the government to combat the high rates of emigration of its young population.

Reported in Hungary Today, incentives include free flights home and a monthly allowance of 100,000 forints ($A460) for a year. The Secretary of State for Employment Sandor Czomba said that about 800 people had signed up for the scheme since it started at the end of April.

Many Eastern European countries are experiencing a “brain drain” of young people who leave in search of better jobs and salaries. There are currently 350,000 Hungarians working abroad and Hungary’s Central Statistical Office found that the rate of emigration in 2014 was 46 per cent higher than the previous year and six times higher than the rate in 2009.

The ‘Come home’ campaign has been criticised by opponents of Hungary’s current anti-immigration campaign. Picture: Bela Szandelszky / AP

However it is hard to put an accurate number on the exodus with many people not notifying the government of their departure. It is believed around 77 per cent of these emigrants are under 40 years of age.

The campaign has been seen as ironic by many, as Hungary is currently pursuing a high profile anti-immigrant campaign including plans to build a fence along the border with Serbia to stem the flood of migrants from the south. The campaign has seen billboards placed around the country reading, “If you come to Hungary you cannot take away Hungarians’ jobs.” However Reuters reports that a group of activists have mocked the signs placing posters around the country including, “Do come to Hungary, we already work in England.”

Young, educated Hungarians have mostly relocated to England, Germany and Austria.