Lithuania's population is predominantly Lithuanian, with Polish and Russian minorities. The main immigrant populations come from Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and Syria. Lithuania experiences both emigration and immigration of its citizens. Children under 16, including foreigners, must attend compulsory education to learn the Lithuanian language. Additional funding supports language learning for migrant children. Adults have opportunities to take paid or free Lithuanian language courses. While promoting multilingualism, Lithuania aims to integrate immigrants through its education system and Lithuanian language programs.

1. LITHUANIA
Population and Education
Vilma Bačkiūtė
Teacher Activity Division,
Lifelong Learning Department,
Ministry of Education and Science

2. Lithuanian population census 2011
Ethnic groups:
• Lithuanian 84.1%
• Polish 6.6%
• Russian 5.8%
• Belarusian 1.2%
• Ukrainians 0.5 %
• other 1.1%
• unspecified 1.2%
Languages:
• Lithuanian 82%
• Polish 5.6%
• Russian 8%
• other 0.9%
• unspecified 3.5%
Other small minority groups are
the Jews, Germans, Tatars, Latvians, Karaims and Roma.

3. Migration to Lithuania
Immigration from
• Ukraine
• Belarus
• Russia
• India
• Syria
• Latvia
• Romania
• Germany
• Poland
• USA
• Italy
Asylum seekers from:
• Syria
• Russia
• Iraq
• Afghanistan
• Chechnya
New immigrant communities are
Turks and Chinese.

4. Migration 2010 – 2017
Emigration Immigration
total of LT
citizenship
under 18 yrs of age total
of LT
citizenship
under 18
Source: Public Policy and Management Institute

5. Lithuanian Emigration under 18 years of age
younger than 18
older than 18
Source: Public Policy and Management Institute

6. Lithuanian Immigration under 18 years of age
LT citizens under 18 other nationals under 18
Younger than 2 3-6 yrs of age 7-10 yrs of age 11-15 yrs of age 16-18 yrs of age
Source: Public Policy and Management Institute

7. Background of Immigrants of under 18
of LT citizenship
of other citizenship with LT
language skills
of other citizenship with no LT
language skills
Source: Public Policy and Management Institute

8. Lithuanian Law on Education
Article 3. Goals of education
1) to develop values enabling an individual to become an honest, knowledge-
seeking, independent, responsible and patriotically-minded human being; to
cultivate communication skills important in modern life; to assist in
internalising the information culture characteristic of the knowledge society, by
providing for command of the state language, foreign languages and
the native language, and information literacy as well as modern social
competence and skills to shape own life independently and to live a healthy
lifestyle […]

9. • All children under 16 years of age, both nationals and foreigners
with permanent or temporary residence permit, must be
enrolled in compulsory education.
• Prior to attending general education school, children with no
proficiency in Lithuanian learn the Lithuanian language in a
special levelling class to bridge the language gap.
• Children from migrant families receive an additional 30 %
funding to cover expenses of individual tutoring and language
learning for the student’s faster integration.
Language Education in Schools

10. • Lithuanian language courses for adults and courses introducing the Lithuanian culture to
asylum seekers are organised by reception centres for refugees and continued on the
municipal level by the authority ensuring integration.
• According to the Integration Procedure, the length of a free Lithuanian language course is 190
hours and, after the completion of the course, there is an official language examination.
• There is a possibility to get an additional course of up to 100 hours, if a person fails the
examination.
• Paid Lithuanian language courses for adults are available at universities and language
schools in cities. In summer, intense language courses for non-Lithuanian speakers include a
cultural programme and guided tours.
Language Learning for Adults

11. • It is important to recognize different home languages of individual
students and create opportunities for practicing them, encouraging
the linguistic diversity and multilingualism.
• There is a risk that multilingualism could be seen as a danger to the
state language. It should not be overlooked when forming language
teaching and education policies.
• It is important to invest in teachers‘ competences and most efficient
approaches to language learning and teaching.
• It is necessary to promote both state and individual multilingualism.
Possibility or Threat