Lithuania should continue to promote an active migration policy by attracting much-needed foreign workers, according to a recent report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the Lithuanian economy. However, many newcomers still face integration challenges and, four years after the country’s unprecedented migration crisis, continue to encounter poor institutional support and an almost unchanged government policy.
Noura Almawed, who came to Lithuania from southern Lebanon, says that when she arrived in Vilnius three years ago, her Lithuanian boyfriend and his family helped her adjust to her new surroundings – but much of the adaptation she had to manage on her own.
“I didn’t receive any support from official organisations. The biggest challenge was communication – the language barrier can sometimes feel very overwhelming,” she said.
Almawed believes that learning the language is a matter of respect for the country, so she took a month-long Lithuanian culture and language course at Vilnius University’s Faculty of Philosophy.
“Of course, I didn’t expect to become fluent, but I wanted to learn enough to handle everyday things – reading food labels, ordering meals or having short conversations without relying on Google Translate,” she explained.
Vilnius has become increasingly attractive to foreigners, drawing foreign investment and creating job opportunities where English is commonly used. Almawed has benefited from this trend.
“My two jobs have both been with American companies, where I served clients and analysed services in English. Still, I’m determined to learn Lithuanian because I genuinely find it a very beautiful and interesting language,” she said.
She believes that a little kindness can go a long way – especially when it comes to getting a fair chance at a job interview, renting a flat without prejudice, or receiving encouragement while learning the language.
“Everyday interactions are just as important as official policy. For example, when I was looking for a flat, one landlord asked if I was ‘legal’. I’ve also seen adverts saying ‘no foreigners’. Experiences like that are discouraging and isolating. I think landlords, employers and locals could help newcomers integrate by being more open, welcoming and patient,” she stressed.
Almawed said she wants to stay in Lithuania because it offers stability, safety and a good quality of life.
“There are plenty of opportunities here, and I feel comfortable living in this environment. I’ve also built a wonderful community of supportive people around me, which makes me feel much closer to home than I actually am,” Almawed said with a smile.
‘Sometimes I didn’t even realise where I was‘
Malka Sultan, who came to Lithuania from Yemen, has now been living here for six years. She arrived six months before the COVID-19 pandemic to study and admits that her first year was particularly difficult.
“I lived in a dormitory on Nemenčinė Road. I remember the change in environment being enormous – there was a sense of calm, but also of strangeness and isolation. Sometimes I didn’t even realise where I was,” Sultan recalled. “A few years later, after the pandemic ended, I met a Lithuanian man who helped me integrate more into Lithuanian society. Before that, I had a friend from my own country who taught me how to eat more healthily and live better – she’d already been living here for six years.”
Most of the help Sultan received came from non-governmental organisations such as Sienos grupė and Luna6rc. When speaking about official institutions, however, her tone changes – her experiences there were largely negative.
“I faced quite a lot of institutional harassment and rejection from various government organisations, including universities,” she said. “Eventually, I found NGOs that were able to help me.”
For Sultan, the language barrier was the hardest challenge during her first three years in Lithuania. “After years of visiting farmers’ markets and spending time with a Lithuanian partner, I finally gained the courage and motivation to start speaking Lithuanian,” she added.
She hopes Lithuania’s migrant integration policy will improve – and that society itself will respond with greater openness and kindness.
“I wish it were easier to declare income and pay taxes – these systems should be accessible in English too, like Sodra and the State Tax Inspectorate. It would also help to have training on how to navigate these systems, so people don’t get fined every couple of months. From people, I’d like simple kindness – even a drop of trust. And from landlords, not to be racist, and to rent homes at fair prices,” Sultan stressed.
Like Noura Almawed, she wants to stay in Lithuania – for now, she considers Vilnius her home.
Equality on Paper
Lithuania’s migrant integration policy is classified by the independent international organisation Migration Policy Group as “equality on paper”. According to its report published on September 25, while immigrants in Lithuania are guaranteed basic rights and protections, they still lack equal opportunities to participate in public life.
Ivanas Trunovas, a researcher at the NGO Diversity Development Group, which collected data for the report in Lithuania, said the country has yet to come to terms with the idea that it is now attractive to foreigners – and is no longer primarily a nation of emigration, but one of immigration.
“For a long time, we thought of ourselves as a country people leave. It’s common to talk about encouraging return migration or helping Lithuanians come back, but far less attention is paid to migrants from non-Western countries,” Trunovas said. “We also rarely discuss labour migration and how many foreign workers are arriving across different regions of Lithuania.”
Despite gradual improvements, Lithuania still lacks many of the mechanisms needed to help migrants integrate into society, explained Trunovas.
“There are very few measures that encourage participation, especially in political life,” Trunovas told LRT.lt. “Lithuania has extremely strict citizenship requirements. Legal status and naturalisation are the foundation of integration – they can either strengthen or weaken motivation to integrate. In healthcare too, there is a lack of measures ensuring migrants’ access to medical services. Protection from discrimination on the grounds of nationality is not guaranteed, meaning Lithuania scores worse in anti-discrimination than many other EU countries.”
Integration not a political priority
The first state institution most migrants encounter is the Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior. Yet, according to Trunovas, this institution often poses communication challenges and is perceived as distant and unhelpful.
“We hear personal stories describing poor service, disrespectful behaviour, and cases where staff fail to assist foreign-born residents of Lithuania,” he said. “Even representatives from other public institutions – such as the Employment Service or State Data Agency Lithuania (VDA) – say that responses from the Migration department can take a very long time, and sometimes never arrive at all.”
Responding to LRT.lt’s request for comment, the Migration Department rejected the criticism. It said migrant integration is organised by the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, and that the accusations were “unfounded”.
“The Migration Department does not comment on abstract claims or opinions based on hearsay,” the department said in a written statement. “We would like to receive information supported by concrete facts and evidence regarding the criticism directed at our institution.”
According to Trunovas, most state institutions remain only partially engaged in migrant integration or coordination efforts.
“In Lithuania, migrant integration still largely depends on NGOs funded from external sources – such as EU funds,” he explained. “We see that public institutions tend to avoid migration topics, services are rarely adapted to the needs of migrants and refugees, and there is a lack of systematic cooperation and clearly defined responsibilities. It’s often unclear how different government agencies contribute to integration processes.”
Still, Trunovas notes that there have been positive developments. Lithuania is increasingly drawing on Scandinavian experience, where local municipalities play a central role in migrant integration.
“We’re now contributing to an initiative that encourages municipalities to take a more active role in shaping local integration policies,” he said. “So far, 16 municipalities across the country have employed integration coordinators for foreign residents. They’re building networks with other professionals, securing funding for integration activities, and helping to shape local policy.”
One town in particular has impressed Trunovas – Jonava, where his organisation, Diversity Development Group, recently held training sessions on migrant integration. According to him, Jonava stands out as one of the best examples of effective integration practice in Lithuania.
“In Jonava District Municipality, different institutions – the Employment Service, the Reception and Integration Agency, and other organisations – work closely together, communicate actively, and ensure both the efficiency and quality of integration services,” Trunovas told LRT.lt.
“The municipality has introduced a community mediator model, where migrants and refugees themselves are employed as social workers. This helps maintain close contact with the target group and directly involves them in integration activities.”
Language learning still left to migrants
Trunovas says Lithuania still lacks an effective, coordinated system for teaching the Lithuanian language to newcomers.
“There are no clearly defined responsibilities, no quality standards, and no consistent methodology,” he explained. “We expect very high results from migrants – language requirements are increasing – yet we fail to provide high-quality, accessible and effective means to achieve them.”
Research by Diversity Development Group shows that even when migrants do attend language courses, the classes are not always effective. Trunovas points to varying teaching quality and inappropriate grouping as key issues.
“Foreigners are sometimes placed in the same group regardless of their level, which can hinder progress,” he said. “Teachers often use the same methods as with native-born Lithuanian children. Many learners struggle to combine classes with work or family responsibilities, and in rural areas, in-person courses are often unavailable.”
Preventing segregation and building cohesion
According to Justinas Argustas, communications adviser to the Minister of Social Security and Labour, the ministry has strengthened the coordination of migrant integration policies at the local level.
“In January 2022, the ministry established a Foreigners’ Integration Group,” he said. “After analysing the main challenges, we planned specific activities and funding. Since 2024, coordinators have been employed in 16 municipalities, covering about 65% of all foreigners living in Lithuania.”
The coordinators, Argustas added, are responsible for applying for funding for local integration projects designed to reduce community tensions, ensure migrants can access public services, and prevent the formation of isolated enclaves.
“One of the funded initiatives is an introductory socio-cultural course on Lithuania, aimed at helping newcomers understand local customs, laws, and values. We also fund training in areas such as cybersecurity, legal literacy, and financial management,” he said.
These initiatives, Argustas noted, serve as a safeguard against segregation and the emergence of social “ghettos” because they foster contact between newcomers and local residents, strengthen social cohesion, and reduce exclusion.
Speaking about one of the biggest barriers to integration – language – Argustas said the ministry has involved higher education institutions in teaching Lithuanian to Ukrainians.
“Seven universities took part in the project, with 1,900 people registering for the courses. Of these, 98.5% successfully completed the programme,” Argustas told LRT.lt.
“The ministry also implemented the project Reception and Early Integration of Refugees from Ukraine in 2023–2024, which made Lithuanian language lessons available in a third of all municipalities. Around 1,500 Ukrainians participated.”
A recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report on Lithuania’s economy urged the government to improve public perceptions of migrants by highlighting their potential contribution to society.
According to Argustas, the Ministry of Social Security and Labour (SADM) plans to address this recommendation next year.
“In 2026, we plan to launch a nationwide communication campaign aimed at restoring balance in public information, normalising the topic of migration, and fostering positive attitudes in society,” he said.
“This will help build a foundation where people of different nationalities can fully participate in social, cultural and economic life.”
Asked about the Migration Policy Group’s findings – which suggest that migrants in Lithuania still lack equal opportunities to engage in public life – Argustas said that equality principles are enshrined in national legislation and backed by a National Progress Plan, adopted in 2020.
“Its implementation ensures that all individuals, regardless of gender, nationality, race or ethnic origin, citizenship, language, or other characteristics, enjoy equal rights and access to public services and social participation,” he said. “The ministry coordinates the plan’s implementation.”
The IMF estimates that to maintain Lithuania’s current labour force – around 1.8 million working-age people – the country will need to attract approximately 20,000 new workers each year, equal to 0.7% of the total population.
“Migration policy should continue to focus on integration, while encouraging productivity and allowing migration from non-EU countries to fill low-skilled labour shortages in certain sectors,” the IMF report said.
The latest Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) results, published on September 25 by a Brussels-based think tank, show Lithuania’s score has remained unchanged in recent years – 37 points out of 100. Only Latvia scores lower in the EU, with 36 points.
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