Labor Migration in the Context of Brexit and the 2030 Agenda: The Slovak Case

This research paper examines the potential impact of Brexit on Slovak workers' motivation to pursue employment opportunities in the UK. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of Brexit on labor migration from Slovakia to the UK and to analyze the migration intentions and institutional perceptions of Slovak workers in the context of the 2030 Agenda. The research methodological framework is based on quantitative methods, including questionnaire surveys, descriptive statistics, and chi-square hypothesis testing, supported by graphical analyses. The empirical base comprises results from a survey of Slovak workers with work experience in the UK, selected from a sample of 867 valid questionnaires collected in 2022 as part of an international research project. The results have indicated that, to some extent, Brexit will also affect the labor market in Slovakia, as some Slovaks working in the UK intend to return to Slovakia after Brexit comes into force, up to 21% of respondents have no intention of returning to the UK for work. However, a larger share of Slovak workers currently working in the UK will not feel affected by Brexit, facing increased bureaucracy or differential treatment, as 72% of the 158 respondents with UK work experience plan to return to the UK for work. The prospects for further research include conducting a cross-country comparative analysis of labor migration, an in-depth study of the sectoral structure of migration flows, and an assessment of the long-term consequences of Brexit for the sustainability of labor markets.