Lithuanian parliament urges government to simplify legal immigration procedures

The Lithuanian parliament on Thursday approved a resolution calling on the government to simplify procedures for legal immigration, particularly for highly skilled workers, LRT reports.

Lawmakers backed a proposal by parliamentary speaker Juozas Olekas to reduce administrative barriers and shorten the timeline for obtaining legal entry to Lithuania. The resolution also urges the cabinet to submit annual progress reports on demographic and migration policies and to develop measures to stabilise the population.

Under the plan, the government would designate a list of countries whose citizens could benefit from streamlined work migration rules. The resolution further calls for improved access to Lithuanian language courses and conditions allowing high-skilled professionals to bring close family members.

Olekas stressed the need to encourage Lithuanian citizens living abroad to return, framing demographic challenges as a national security priority. “After national defence, solving demographic issues is the most important task,” he said. “We must ensure that Lithuania is populated—not a desert or empty territory, but by Lithuanian people.”

The resolution passed with 75 votes in favour, five against, and six abstentions. It sets a target of reaching 3 million residents by 2030, a figure officials consider a benchmark for success. Recent data from the state statistics agency shows Lithuania’s population declined by 0.1% last year, with births hitting a record low of 17,500 in 2025—an 8.4% drop from 2024. Projections suggest the population could fall below 2.1 million by 2100.

President Gitanas Nausėda has previously compared the demographic crisis to a “ticking time bomb,” a sentiment echoed by other senior officials.