The Labour and Social Policy Ministry estimates the number of Ukrainian labour migrants at three million people. A research held in 2008 found that over three years, almost 1.5 million people went abroad in search of a better employment. In May 2009, an expert of the Ukrainian Center of Social Researches Ihor Markov estimated the number of Ukrainian labour migrants at 4.5 million people. He said only 30-35% of migrants had official status.