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INTRODUCTION

PROPOSALS FOR RUSSIA’S MIGRATION STRATEGY THROUGH 2035

FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY

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TEXT: IRINA V. IVAKHNYUK

EDITED BY: IVAN N. TIMOFEEV, ELENA S. ALEKSEENKOVA

MOSCOWSEPTEMBER 2017

FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY

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Index

4 Index

7 Introduction

11 Proposalsforthemigrationstrategy

19 Argumentsandrecommendationsfortheimplementation oftheoptimizedmigrationstrategy

63 Alternativemigrationpolicies

68 Conclusion

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ThissetofproposalsforanewmigrationstrategyforRussiathrough2035andrecom-mendationsforitsimplementationhasbeenexaminedintworoundsofdiscussionwithparticipationofexpertsfromtheRussianInternationalAffairsCouncil(RIAC),CentreforStrategicResearch(CSR),RussianPresidentialAcademyofNationalEconomyandPublicAdministration(RANEPA),LomonosovMoscowStateUniversity(MSU),HighSchoolofEconomicsUniversity(HSE),CentreforMigrationStudies,MoscowofficeoftheInter-nationalOrganizationforMigration, Institutefor theCommonwealthof IndependentStates,CentreforSocial-EconomicDemographicStudiesattheMoscowStateUniversityofPsychologyandEducation,ForumforResettlementOrganizations,InstituteforStateEconomicForecastingRAS,InstituteofWorldEconomyandInternationalRelationsRAS(IMEMO),“MigrationXXIcentury”Fund.Theexperts’feedbackreceivedhelpedtode-velop proposals for a new migration strategy, and concrete recommendations on itsimplementation.

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IntroductionTheperiodthatfollowedthedisintegrationoftheSovietUnionprovedtobechallengingforRussiafromtheperspectiveofpolitics,socioeconomics,demographicsandmigra-tion.Theunfavourabledemographictrendsandthedecliningandageingof thepop-ulationwerepartiallyoffsetbyan influxoftemporaryandpermanentmigrantsfromotherpost-Sovietstates,butnumerouserrorsinthemigrationpolicyledtoadecreasein Russia’s migration attractiveness, turning migration into a source of social tensionandaninstrumentofpoliticalinfighting.Theerrorswerecaused,amongotherthings,bythelackofamigrationstrategyandcoordinatedmigration-relateddecision-makingprocesses.Asaresult,incontrasttotheprevioushistoricalperiods,themigrationpolicyinpost-SovietRussiawasunabletomatchthenationwidestrategyofturningmigrationintoanefficientdevelopmentresource.

Russia’smigrationpolicyisfacingspecificstrategicchallengesbroughtaboutbythepe-culiaritiesofthecountry’scontemporarydemographic,economicandpoliticaldevelop-ment.Thesechallengesareasfollows:1)havingtooffsetthenaturalpopulationdeclinebystimulatingmigrationfromabroadandstabilizingthesizeof thecountry’sperma-nentpopulation;2)havingtomeettheRussianlabourmarket’sdemandforadditionalworkersagainstthebackdropofareductioninnationallabourresourcesbyattractingtemporaryinternationallabourmigrants;3) havingtochangethecurrentmigrationvec-torswithinRussia,whichexacerbatetheunevendistributionofthepopulationacrossthe country, and having to ensure the population’s growth in strategically importantregions,firstandforemostintheFarEast.

The state migration policy concept that was adopted in 2012, while being officiallyaimedatmakinguseofthe“positivepotentialinherentinthemigrationprocesses”,hasfailedtosupporttheinternallogicofthepracticalmeasuresbeingtakentomanagemi-grationprocesses.Therearestillnoanswerstoimportantquestionsfacingthecountryasappliedtoensuringthedesiredscale,structureandvectorsofmigrationprocesses,andtoturningmigrationfromanegativefactor inRussia’sdevelopment intoafactorthatwouldfacilitateitsprogressiveadvancement.

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ACHIEVEMENTS

ThemostimportantachievementofcontemporaryRussiaintermsofmigrationisthatRussiancit-izens enjoy the freedom of movement, are free to choose their place of residence within thecountryandtravelabroad.

Onemigrationdecisionofgreatstrategicimportancewastheintroductionofavisa-free travel regimeamongtheformerSovietrepublics.Thisisatrulyhumanemigrationpolicyprincipleinasituationwhentheintroductionofnewfrontiersbetweencountrieshasartificiallyseparatedfami-lies,relativesandcompatriotswhohadlivedinacommoncountryforcenturiesandgenerations.Inaddition,visa-freetravelisanimportantfactorinpreservingtheunityofthepost-Sovietspace,andincreatingconditionsfortheregion’seconomicandpoliticalintegration.

Theimplementationofthecommon labour marketconceptwithintheEurasianEconomicUnion(EAEU)resultedfromanappreciationofthesignificanceoflabourmigrationtotheregion’scoun-tries.The freedomof travelandemployment forcitizensof theEAEUmember stateswillbeanimportantincentiveforothercountriestojointhisregionalintegrationstructure.

AnotherachievementoftheRussianmigrationpolicysecuredinthepastdecadeistheintroductionofaseparatemigrationchannelforhighly qualified specialists.Thisstepwastakeninanattemptto increase Russia’s attractiveness to highly qualified foreign professionals who could contributenewknowledgetothecreationofmodernproductionfacilitiesinRussiaandhelpthecountrytran-sitiontoadvancedformatsofgovernance.

A importantstrategicdecisionwithregardtomigrationwastodelegatetheregulationof labourmigrationflowsfromCIScountriestoRussianregions,includinggivingthemthepowerstoissueimmigrantswithpatentsandregulatetheimmigrantinfluxbywayofsetting,andannuallyamend-ing,thepriceofsuchpatents.

PROBLEMSThemainproblemofRussia’smigrationpolicytodayisthatitlacks conceptual clarityandclearguidelines for the future. Russia has never managed to arrive at a substantiated idea based onconsiderationsofexpedienceandadoptedattheofficiallevelofhowmanymigrantsitneeds,andwhattheirroleinthefuturedevelopmentofthecountryshouldbe.Thishasresultedininconsistentadministrative decisions, disoriented Russian society as to the objectives of the migration policyandreducedRussia’sattractivenesstomigrants.Thesharptwistsofthemigrationpolicyandtheconstantlegislativereformsareconsequencesofknee-jerkreactionstomigrationproblems,whicharegrowingunacceptablybig.

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INTRODUCTION

The official labour migration infrastructure, i.e. the complex of consultancy and informationservicesintendedbothforRussianemployerswishingtoattractforeignlabourandforforeigncit-izensseekingemploymentinRussiaremainsunderdeveloped.Asaresultofthis,thehiringoffor-eignlabourbyRussianemployersremainslargelyspontaneous,withshadowgroupsoftenbasedontheethnicityprinciple,playingtheroleofefficientemploymentmediatorsformigrants.

TheRussianmigrationpolicyhasfailedtointroduceinstrumentsthatwouldstructuretheinfluxofmigrantlabourinaccordancewiththecountry’sdemandforaprofessionalandqualifiedworkforce.Asaresult,despitethesignificantnumbersofincomingmigrants,theunmetdemandforworkersremainssteadilyhigh,andthecurrentmigrant qualification potentialoftenremainsunclaimed.Atthesametime,governmentinstitutionsoverlooktheneedfortheorganizedemploymentoffor-eignlabourandprofessionaltrainingservicesformigrantswithinRussiainordertomeettheneedsofthecountry’slabourmarket.ThemigrationpolicyisfailingtoreflectthegeneralsituationintheRussianlabourmarket.

OneimportantfailureofRussia’smigrationpolicy,whichhasresultedinasharpaggravationofallthe immigration-related problems, has been the disregard for the need to help migrants to adapt and integrate into the new society.TheRussianperceptionofintegrationisoversimpli-fied,withattemptsbeingmadetomakemigrantssolelyresponsiblefortheirintegration.

Thegovernmentoverlookstheneedforpoliciesrelatedtointernal migration,despitethefactthatthespontaneoustrendsthathavecharacterizedinternalmigrationinRussiaoverthepast25years,such as the population’s low internal mobility and a steady outflow of the population from thecountry’seasternandnorth-easternregionstoSiberiaandEuropeanRussia,haveprovedextremelyunfavourabletotheprospectsforthecountry’seconomic,demographicandpoliticaldevelopment.IntheFarEast,thisdepopulationtrendhasactuallybecomeathreattonationalsecurityandterri-torialintegrity.

CHALLENGESRussia’s declining attractiveness to potential migrants. This ismainlytheresultofthecoun-try’scontradictoryandincoherentmigrationpolicywhich,whileofficiallybeingaimedatattractingpermanentmigrants ingeneraland“compatriots” inparticular,actuallycreatesmoreadministra-tiveobstaclesto incomingmigrantswishingto legalizetheirstatus,seekemploymentandsettledown in Russia. This position has a negative “demonstration effect” on potential migrants, andrunscountertothestrategicobjectiveofstimulatinganinfluxofmigrantsinordertomitigatethedemographiccrisisinRussia.

Migration remains largely uncontrolled,despite theseeminglyactiveworkof the federalmi-grationauthorities.Thiscircumstanceresultsintheunregisteredemploymentofasizableportionofmigrants,deformstheRussianlabourmarketandprovokeswidespreadexploitationofmigrants,uptoandincludingforcedandslavelabourandhumantrafficking.Russiansocietyisconcernedabout

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theobviousabsenceofaneffectiveimmigrationcontrolmechanism,whichturnsmigrationintoaburningproblemonthedomesticpoliticalagendaandincreasesradicalnationalistsentiments.

The lack of understanding of the real scale and structure of migration inflows, and of the role that migrants play in the country’s economy.Thisisprimarilyrelatedtothelowqualityofmigrationstatistics.Statisticaltricksaimedatmakingtheactualfiguresmatchtheofficialtargetsfurther distort the picture. The state is not interested in serious economic studies of labour mi-gration.Thisfactlargelyexplainstheabsenceofconceptualclarityinthemigrationpolicy,anditsgeneralincoherence.

The scale of illegal migration and unregistered migrant employment,whichstems,ontheonehandfromthespecificfeaturesoftheexistingeconomicsysteminRussiawithitssignificantin-formaleconomicsegment,andfromadministrativeandbureaucraticobstaclestotheacquisitionofworkpermitsbyforeigncitizensinRussia,forcingthemtoseekemploymentillegally,ontheother.Illegalmigrationandtheunregisteredemploymentofforeigncitizenscostthecountry’seconomydearly,degradingthecultureoflabourrelations,erodingthestandardsoffaircompetitioninthelabourmarket,andlosingtheRussianbudgethundredsofbillionsofroubles,asillegalmigrantsdonotpayincometax.

Anti-migrant sentiments in Russian society, whichhasfailedtoadapttothenew“migrationreality.”Society ispolarized,withpoliticiansandthepublichavingdifferentviewsas towhetherRussiashouldattractmigrantsinordertoresolveitsdemographicandeconomicproblemsorputacaponthenumberofincomingmigrants.OpinionpollsindicatethatagrowingproportionoftheRussianpopulationsupportsastrictlineonmigration.Againstthisbackground,devisingamigra-tionpolicyaimedatincreasingRussia’sattractivenesstomigrantsappearstobeadifficulttask.

The migratory outflow of Russian citizens, whichisaseriousdemographicandeconomicchal-lengeforthecountry.ThehighlevelofeducationandqualificationsoftheRussiancitizensleavingthecountryisparticularlypainfultotheeconomy.This,coupledwiththeloweducationallevelsoflabourmigrantsarrivinginRussiatoseekemployment,worsensthequalityoftheworkforceavail-ableintheRussianlabourmarketandhampersinnovativedevelopmentoftheRussianeconomy.

Unfavourable internal migration trends. SpontaneousmigrationprocesseswithinRussiaexac-erbatethealreadyunevenandasymmetricdistributionofthepopulationacrossthecountry.Whilethereareobjectivehistoricalandclimaticreasonsforthis irregularity, it isbeingworsenedbymi-grationvectorsthatareunfavourableintermsofthecountry’sstrategicdevelopment.RatherthansettlinginthevastterritoriesintheAsianregionsofthecountryanddevelopingtheeconomyofthoseregions,whichareofstrategicimportancetoRussia,thepopulationisflowingtoEuropeanRussiaandsettlingdowninandaroundthecapital.

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INTRODUCTION

PROPOSALS FOR THE MIGRATION STRATEGY

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The state needs to form a strategic vision of the positive effect that the migra-tion resource can have on Russia’s demographic and economic development. Withoutaninfluxofmigrants,theRussianpopulationwillcontinuetodeclinesteadily,whichwillnegativelyaffectthecountry’sgeopoliticalstatusanditspositioninthehi-erarchyoftheworld’slargestpowers.Therearenoexamplesinhistoryofacountry’seconomicdevelopmentspeedingupagainst thebackgroundofdwindling labour re-sources.Causedbyobjectivedemographicfactors,theshrinkingofRussia’spopulationandtheagingofitsworkforceisunderminingthepossibilityofprogressiveeconomicdevelopment. In thissituation,attractinganadditionalworkforcefromabroad isbe-cominganecessaryconditionofthecountry’sfurtherdevelopment.Thegovernmentneedstounderstandandofficiallyrecognizethepositiverolethatmigrationcanplayin the further development of Russia in order to send a convincing signal to societythatmigrantsareanindispensablepartofRussianlife.Inadditiontorecognizingthepositivepotentialofmigration,theremustbeaclearunderstandingofthemigrationchallengesfacingRussia.

The strategic goals facing Russia’s migration policy need to be reflected in all migration-related legislative documents and administrative decisions. As ap-pliedto internationalmigration,thesegoalsaretostimulatethe influxofpermanentmigrants in order to stabilize the permanent population, as well as the numbers oftemporarymigrantsinordertoreplenishtheshortagesintheRussianlabourmarket.Asappliedtointernalmigration,thesegoalsneedtostimulatepeopletomovetostra-tegicallyimportanteasternregionsofthecountry.Itisunacceptablefornewlyadoptedpiecesoflegislationtocontradictthesegoals.

Visa-free travel across borders needs to be preserved for the sake of continuing relations in the post-Soviet space.TheCISisabattlegroundofcompetinginterestsforanumberofglobalandregionalpowers.ManyinternationalactorsarestrivingtobringtheformerSovietrepublicsasfarapartfromoneanotheraspossible,bothpolit-icallyandeconomically.Russia,bycontrast,isinterestedinreinforcingthepoliticalandeconomicintegrationoftheregion.Inthissituation,visa-freetravelacrossthebordersthatseparatetheformerSovietrepublicssupportsthehistoricalunityofthepost-Sovietspace.Inthissense,theRussianmigrationstrategymatchesitsforeignpolicystrategy,andcouldbecomeanadditionalpositivefactor inpreservingpoliticalstability in theregion.

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The main goal of labour migration is to create a working model for attracting foreign work-ers, one that would be recognized by both Russian employers and migrants, and would proceed from the actual needs of the Russian labour market, while not encroaching on the rights of Russian citizens and guaranteeing the rights of migrant workers.Atthesametime,thepolicyofattractingmigrantlabourshouldbeanadditional,ratherthantheprimary,instrumentinrectifyingthesituationinthelabourmarket.Inthissense,thestateneedstodeterminetheactuallabourshortageon theRussianmarket,assess thepossibilities for redistributingexistingnationallabourresources,andtousethisinformationtocalculatethenumberofmigrantsthatneedtobebroughtintothecountry.This isnotataskformigrationpolicy;rather, itneedstobeachievedinconjunctionwiththeimplementationofthegovernment’ssocioeconomic,employment,educationandregionaldevelopmentpolicies.

Puttingacaponthenumberofforeignlabourmigrantsisnottheonlywaytoprotecttheinterestsofthenationalworkforce.ThepriorityrightofRussianworkerstoemploymentalreadyguaranteesthemanadvantageinthelabourmarket.Implementingtheprincipleofequalpayforequallabourformigrantsandnationalsthatisenshrinedinlegislationisanotherpracticalprotectionmechanisminthenationallabourmarket:itpreventsmigrantsfrombeingperceivedasasourceofcheaplabour.

Ontheotherhand,theconstructionofartificialobstaclestoforeignworkersseekingemploymentinRussia,suchashavingtopassatestintheRussianlanguage,historyandlaw(whichis,ofcourse,appropriateinthecaseofforeignerswishingtoobtainpermanentresidenceorRussiancitizenship)inordertoobtainaworkpermit,forcesmigrantstoseekillegalemployment.

To supply the Russian market with properly qualified foreign labour, the problem of profes-sional training for migrants needs to be addressed at the government level.Thisisaburningproblem, as demonstrated by the high unmet demand for workers in the Russian labour market,despitesignificantinflowsofforeignlabour.ExperiencesuggeststhatthelevelofprofessionalandlinguisticqualificationsobtainedbypotentialmigrantsintheircountriesoforiginoftenfailstomeettheexpectationsofRussianemployers.ItwouldbeadvisabletoorganizemigrantworkforcetraininginRussiaatexistingvocationalschoolsandsettingupnewones.Thiswouldensurethenecessarylevelofprofessionalandlinguisticqualifications.Trainingshouldbeofferedonthebasisofstudentloans,onconditionthatthemigrantswillsubsequentlypaytheloansbackwhileworkinginRussia.WhenCIScitizenswhohaveundergoneprofessionaltraininginRussiasubsequentlyreturntotheirrespectivecountries,theirprofessionalexperienceandqualificationswillhelpinthedevelopmentofthosecountries,thusincreasingthestabilityofeconomicdevelopmentintheentireregion.

The internal migration policy needs to become an important component of the government strategy. Economicmeasurestostimulate internalmigration,suchassocialbenefits,preferentialloanstobuyhomesandtaxbenefits,includingforsmallbusinesses,couldpartiallyoffsetthelowmobilitythatistypicaloftheRussianpopulation,channellingmigrationflowsinawaythatwouldbefavourableforthestate.Theexistingadministrativemechanismofmandatoryregistrationatacitizen’splaceofresidencehaslargelylostitscontrollingfunction;infact,ithampersthepopulation’s

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geographicmobilityandrestrictsemploymentopportunities.Thesystemcouldbereplacedwiththeindividualtaxpayernumber,whichisamoreflexibleeconomicinstrumentforcontrollingthemove-mentsofcitizens.

The migration legislation needs to be codified.TheincessantreformsoftheRussianmigrationlegislationhaverenderedmigrationlawsunsystematicandinternallycontradictory.Backin2004,theFederalMigrationServicecalledforcodifyingthemigrationlegislationwithintheframeworkoftheMigrationCode,butthatinitiativewasnotsupported.Itishightimethestaterevisitedtheideaofcod-ifyingexistinglegislativeactsandbyelawsrelatedtomigration,andcreatedasingledocument.Apartfromputtingthelegislativeframeworkinorder,thiswouldalsoprovideanopportunityforrevising,harmonizingandstreamliningsomeofitselements.

A single federal civil agency needs to be tasked with implementing the migration policy. Thiswouldallowforuniform,conceptuallysoundapproachestothemigrationpolicytobeformulatedandimplemented,ensuringthatitissystemicinnatureandinternallycoherentandthatitisinharmonywithotheraspectsofthestatepolicy.Thiswouldalsoallowforthefocusofthemigrationpolicytobeshiftedfromlawenforcementtothesocioeconomicaspects.

Compliance with the migration legislation (both by migrants and by authorized migration agencies) needs to be subject to strict and effective controls.Thisthesisdoesnotcontradicttheobjectiveofcreatingbroadchannelsforimmigrationandthelegitimateemploymentoftemporarymigrants.Themigrationlegislationcouldofferfairlyliberalconditionsofentry,stayandemploymenttocertaincategoriesofmigrantsthatareofparticularinteresttothecountry.However,thesecondi-tionsmustbestrictlyobservedbymigrants,migrationofficialsandemployers.InthecaseofRussia,corruption isabarrier tocompliancewiththemigration legislation.Bribe-takingpracticescreateafeelingofimpunityforbreakingthelaw,sothetargetsofreasonablelawsremainunmet.MigrationhasturnedintooneofthemostcorruptspheresinRussia:virtuallyalltheinstrumentsofmigrationpolicy,whichwereoriginallyintendedtohelpbringmigrationflowsundercontrol(registration,certif-icatesandpatents),cannowbeboughtorforged.

Strictercontrolovertheimplementationofmigrationlegislationappearstobeaneffectivemethodoffightingillegalmigrationandtheunregisteredemploymentofmigrants.Thesecontrolmeasuresshouldbeaimednotsomuchatmigrants(whichisalsoimportant)asatthoseemployerswhobreachtheRussianlabourcodebyhiringforeigncitizenswithouttheproperregistration.Inthislight,theroleoflabourinspectorates—whichneedtobecomeactiveparticipantsinthemanagementofinterna-tionallabourmigration—grows.

The policy of migrant adaptation and integration needs to be radically revised.Themigrantintegrationpolicymustbebasedonreliableinformation,notsocialstereotypes.Thediversityofmi-grationflowsintoRussianecessitatesmultiplevariantsofthemigrantadaptationandintegrationpol-icy. Developing multiple migrant integration models is one of the most topical aspects of Russia’smigrationpolicy.

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Typically,themainfocusofmigrantintegrationpoliciesisonthesocioculturalaspect(studyingthelanguage,adaptingtotheculturalnorms,etc.).Nevertheless,themost important,andsometimesevendecisive,ingredientofintegrationistheeconomiccomponent.Theparticipationofmigrantsinthelabourmarketinevitablyentailsmeasurestoprecludediscriminationandexploitation,andhelpthemraisetheirqualificationsandtechnicaleducationlevel.Inotherwords,migrantsneedtoadapttothehostsociety,butthehostsocietyalsoneedstotakecertainreciprocalsteps.Itisintheeconomicplanethatthefundamentalprinciplesofthecorrelationbetweentherightsoflabourmigrantsandthoseofnationalworkersneedtobeimplemented:whileRussiancitizenswillenjoypriorityemploy-mentopportunities,theprincipleofequalpayforequallabourmustbestrictlyobserved,asmusttheprotectionofmigrants’socialandlabourrights.Thiswillfacilitatethesocialperceptionofmigrantsnotasasourceofcheaplabour,butratherasaninstrumentofreplenishingtheshortagesintheRussianlabourmarket.

Oneimportantobjectiveoftheintegrationpolicyistoreducetheriskstonationalsecurity(theethnicsegregationofsocietyandthelossofuniformvaluesandnorms)thatarerelatedtomassmigration.Thehostcountryneedstotakestepstoensuremigrants’rightsandpreventdiscrimination,margin-alization, illegal employment, exploitation and social exclusion, while at the same time promotingtolerance towardsmigrants,publicly recognizing their contribution to thecountry’seconomy,andexplainingcertainmotivesbehindthemigrationpolicytothepopulation.Onlythenwillafavourableenvironmentinwhichmigrantsandsocietycaninteracteffectivelyemerge.

Creating a reliable information base as the foundation for the development of a migration policy. Thescopeofdemographic,socioeconomic,professionalandqualificationinformationaboutmigrantscollectedandpublishedbystatisticalagenciesneedstobeexpanded,sothatthisdatacanbeusedastheinformationalbasisforscientificstudiesaimedatidentifyingtheroleofmigrantsintheRussianeconomy,theleveloftheirsocialintegration,andthedegreeoftheirparticipationinpopula-tiongrowth.Thegovernmentneedstocreatedemandforvariegatedscientificresearchonmigration.Basedontheresultsofsuchstudies,thestateshouldbuildadecision-makingsystemforimprovingmigrationmanagementinRussiaandensuringitsconceptualunity.

Reinforcing the economic component of counteraction to illegal migration.Globalmigrationexperience demonstrates that, wherever the migration regime becomes stricter and the channelsavailablefor legalemploymentof labourmigrantsaremadenarrower,the illegalemploymentseg-mentbeginstogrow.Ontheotherhand,themosteffectivemeasuresforfightingillegalmigrationandunregisteredemploymentarewellresearched.Theyareprimarilytodowitheconomy.Alarge-scaleoffensiveonthepartofthegovernmentagainsttheshadoweconomy,particularlyinthecon-struction,servicesandhousingandutilitiessectors,wouldhelplegalizethelargemassesofmigrantsillegallyemployedinthoseindustries.

Simplifying the academic mobility and educational migration procedures. Measures forattractinguniversity instructorsandscientistscould reviveRussia’s innovativeeconomicdevelop-ment,stimulateadvancesinthehi-techsectorandenableRussianstudentstolearnaboutadvanced

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methodsofproductionmanagementandorganization.Ontheotherhand,attractingforeignstu-dentsfromCIScountriestoRussianuniversitiescanbeviewedasaninvestmentinthehumancap-italofRussia’spartnercountries,whichhasbothaneconomic(trainingpersonnelfordevelopingthenationaleconomiesofCIScountries)andapoliticaldimension(so-called“softpower”,whichiscapableofbolsteringRussia’spoliticalpositionsintheregion).

Launching a massive educational campaign in support of the migration policy. Shapingasatisfactory psychological climate in society should be an important element in migration man-agement.Thestateshouldpreventnegativestereotypingofmigrants (“migrants raisecrime lev-els insociety”, “migrantstakeRussians’ jobs”,etc.);thesestereotypeshavebeenrepeatedlydis-provedbyresearch.Themigrationpolicymustbeunderstoodandtolerated,ifnotsupported,bythepopulation.

Developing a public-private partnership in migration management.Specifically,thetaskofintegratingmigrantscouldbedelegatedtolocaladministrationsandcivilsocietyinstitutions.Busi-nesscouldbeinvolvedindevelopingthemigrationinfrastructure,assessingthemarket’sneedformigrantworkers,andprovidingprofessionaltrainingformigrants.Theexpertcommunity,interna-tionalorganizationsandnon-governmentalfoundationscouldparticipateinscientificresearchthatwouldinformadministrativedecisions.

Developing international cooperation to optimize migration processes. The CIS countries,whichareboththeprimarymigrationdonorsforRussiaanditsgeopoliticalpartnerswhenitcomestothedevelopmentofregionalintegration,needtoremainRussia’sprioritypartnersinmigrationcooperation. Primary attention should be paid to further developing the common EAEU labourmarketandcreatingrelevantinstitutionsthatwouldcoordinatelabourmigrationwithintheEAEU.Developmentofcooperationwithin theBRICSassociationalsoholdsapotential.Thedeclarativenatureofsuchcooperationmayverywelltransitionintopracticalapplicationgiventhatthedras-ticallydifferentdemographicsituationsintheBRICScountriescouldserveasadriverforformingmigrationflowsbetweenmemberstates.

Ensuring coordination of Russia’s economic and geopolitical interests in migration-relat-ed contacts with CIS countries. The CIS countries are Russia’s primary migration donors, andsimultaneouslyitsmaingeopoliticalalliesandpartnersinregionalintegration.Inhisconnection,itappearsthatRussia’smigration-relatedcontactswithformerSovietrepublicsshouldbeofaspecialnature,asisthecasewiththeireconomicandpoliticalcontacts.

Intheglobalcontext,countrieswhichattractmigrantshavenoqualmsaboutenticingforeignqual-ifiedspecialistsandstudentswithvariouspreferences.Thisprocessisdepletingthedevelopmentpotentialofimmigrants’nativecountries.Russia’spositionwithregardtotheformerSovietcoun-triescannotfollowthismodel.TheattractionofCISlabourmigrantsandstudentstoRussiashouldnotbleedtheformerSovietrepublic’seconomiesofresources,preservetheirbackwardness,andwidenthegapinthesocioeconomicdevelopmentlevelsoftheregion’scountries.Amorefar-sight-

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edapproachaimedatstrengtheningregionalintegrationisneeded.AbalanceofinterestscouldbeensuredbyattractingCISlabourmigrantsneededbyRussiaeconomywhilesimultaneouslyinvest-inginthedevelopmentofthehuman(opportunitiesforprofessionaleducationandindustrialex-perienceinRussia)andeconomicpotential(Russianinvestmentintheeconomies)ofthesepartnerstates.

Thus,Russia’sgeopoliticalinterestsareeffectivelynarrowingthedecision-makingchannelwithre-gardtomigration,withapriorityfocusoncateringforthecountries’mutualinterests.Theseinter-estsimplytheexistenceofmultiplechannelsforlegallabourmigrationintheregionfordifferentcategoriesofmigrants,andthejointeffortsofcountriesintheregiontoprotectmigrants’rightsandfightunregisteredemployment.

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* * *

Russia’snewmigrationstrategyisexpectedtoimpartinternallogicintothestatemigrationpolicy,turnitintoaneffectivepartofthenationaldevelopmentstrategy,increaseRussia’sattractivenessasamigrationdestination,ensureaninfluxofmigrantsintothecountry,helpsolvetheproblemsoflabourshortageswithoutencroachingontherightsofRussiancitizens,reducethescaleofillegalmigrationandemploymentandlowerthelevelsofcorruption,xenophobiaandintoleranceinRus-siansociety.Inotherwords,itwouldturnmigrationfromaproblemintoaneffectivedevelopmentresourceforRussia.

Themigrationstrategypresupposesthedevelopmentofstateprogrammesthatwouldsupportitsimplementation.Suchprogrammeswouldhelp improvethe informationalandanalyticalbasisofthe migration policy1, develop of the official international labour migration infrastructure2, intro-ducestrictercontroloverthecompliancewithmigrationlawsandstepupthefightagainstcorrup-tion3, organize professional training for migrants4, develop specialist education programmes forimplementingthemigrationpolicy,etc5.

1 Theprogrammeforimprovingtheinformationalandanalyticalbasisofthemigrationpolicymustbeaimedatimprov-ingthesystemforcollectinginformationaboutmigrantsanddetailingmigrationstatisticsusingdifferentinformationsources:censuses,currentrecords,samplingsurveys,etc.,aswellasattheformationofstatedemandforscientificresearchonmigration.

2 Theprogrammetodevelopanofficialinternationallabourmigrationinfrastructuremustbeaimedatcreatingacom-plexofgovernmentalandnon-governmentalconsultancyandinformationservicesforRussianemployerswhowanttoattractforeignlabour,andforforeigncitizensarrivinginRussiatoseekemployment.

3 Theprogrammetostrengthencontrolovercompliancewithmigrationlawsandfightcorruptionmustbefocusedoncreatingeffectivemonitoringmechanismsfortheimplementationoflawsandotherlegislativeactsonmigration,mon-itoringthecorrelationbetweentheirimplementationandthestrategictargetsofthemigrationpolicy,anduncoveringcorruptionschemesandpracticesinmigrationmanagement.

4 TheprogrammeofprofessionaltrainingformigrantsmustbeorientedtowardsformingasystemofvocationaltrainingformigrantsbothinRussiaandintheirhomecountries,takingintoaccountthedemandforqualificationsontheRus-sianlabourmarket,aswellasstrengtheninginterstateinteractionintermsofprovidingcareerguidancetomigrantsintheregion.

5 TheprogrammetotrainpersonnelfortheimplementationofthemigrationpolicymustbeaimedatcreatinganetworkofspecializedtrainingprogrammesatRussianuniversitiestotrain/retrainspecialistsinthemanagementofmigrationprocesses.

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ARGUMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OPTIMIZED MIGRATION STRATEGY

2.

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A strategic vision of the positive role that migration plays in Russia’s demographic and economic development must be formed at the state level.

Argument

ToassessthepositivepotentialofmigrationforRussia’sfurtherdevelopment,weneedtounderstandtheprofoundnatureofthedemographictransformationthatthecountryiscurrentlyexperiencing.Russiaislivingthroughauniqueperiodinitshistory:owingtothecurrentagestructureofthepopulation,labourresourcesarerapidlydepletingandaging.This,coupledwiththegrowingdemographicburdenontheworkingpopulation,isunderminingprogressiveeconomicdevelopment. Inthissituation,themigrationre-sourceisbecomingmoreimportantthaneverbefore.

Allthevariantsofthedemographicforecastthroughto2030calculatedbytheFeder-alStatisticsServiceoftheRussianFederation(Rosstat)proceedfromthepremisethatbetween250,000and500,000immigrantswillbeenteringRussiaannuallytosettledownpermanently.Withoutthisinfluxofmigrants,thecountry’spopulationwillcontin-uetodecreasesteadily,affectingitsgeopoliticalstatusanditspositioninthehierarchyoftheworld’slargestpowers.

Theprospectsforthesizeoftheworking-agepopulationareparticularlyunfavourable.DuetothepeculiaritiesoftheagestructureoftheRussianpopulation,thecountryhaslost over 10 million working-age people in the past decade, and will lose 10 millionmoreby2050astheresultofthe“demographicwave.”Diagram1,whichisbasedona medium-term forecast by Rosstat, indicates that after the extremely unfavourable2010s,duringwhichtheworking-agepopulationhasbeendecreasingatanaverageof1millionpeopleperyear,therewillbeaperiodof“relativeprosperity”,whentheattritionratewillslowdownandamodestincreaseinthesizeoftheworking-agepopulationwillbeobservedforaroundfiveorsixyears.However,thisperiodwillinevitablybefollowedbyasignificantdrop-offintheworking-agepopulationonceagain.

1.

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Diagram 1. ChangestotheSizeoftheRussianWorking-AgePopulation(16to59YearsOldforMen,16to54forwomen)in2008–2050,thousands

–1180

–747

158

Source:Rosstat.DemographicYearbookofRussia,2015

Therearenoexamples inhistoryofacountry’seconomicdevelopmentspeedingupagainst thebackgroundofdwindlinglabourresources.AttractingadditionalworkforcefromabroadcouldgiveRussiancitizensanopportunitytoparticipateinthemostadvancedeconomicsectors,thusimple-mentingthe“modernizationpush”desiredbythecountry’sleaders.

Despitetheobjectiveunfavourabletrends indemographicdevelopmentandthedevelopmentoftheRussianlabourmarket,thegovernment’sattitudestowardsusingmigrantsasaninstrumenttoreplenishthepermanentpopulationandbringnewworkerstothemarketremaincontroversial.Astruggleistakingplacebetweendifferentgroups,someofwhicharelobbyingforaliberalmodelofattractingmigrants,whereasothersareadvocatingstrictermigrationpolicies.Thissituationleadstoincoherentadministrativedecisions,disorientsRussiansocietyastotheobjectivesofthemigra-tionpolicyandreducesRussia’sattractivenesstomigrants

Itisimportanttounderstandthateventhebest-casescenarioofRussia’sdemographicpolicy—agrowthinthecountry’sbirthrate,coupledwithadecreaseinthemortalityrateandtheanincreasedaveragelifeexpectancy—wouldnotdiminishtheroleofthemigrationpotential.Paradoxically,theroleofmigrantswillactuallygrowunderthisscenario.WhileextremelyimportanttoRussiainthelongrun,thisdemographicscenariowillresultinmedium-termgrowthinthenumberofchildrenandseniorcitizensandwillincreasethedemographicburden,resultinginaninevitableimbalanceinthelabourmarketandanevenmoreurgentneedforgrowingnumbersoflabourmigrants6.

6 SeeE.Andreev,A.Vishnevsky.Russia’sDemographicProspects.Demoscope,Nos.601–602,June2014:http://dem-oscope.ru/weekly/2014/0601/tema05.php

http://demoscope.ru/weekly/2014/0601/tema05.php


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OnlyaclearunderstandingandrecognitionattheofficiallevelofthepositiverolethatmigrationcanplayinRussia’sfurtherdevelopmentcansendaconvincingmessagetosocietythatmigrantsareanabsolutelynecessarypartofRussianlife:theyfillvacanciesthatarenotattractivetolocalworkers;theymakeitpossibleforthestatetopaypensions;therepresencegivesRussianpeopleaccesstoeducation,etc.Suchamessage,supportedbyrelevantmigration-relatedlegislationthatwoulden-surethebalanceofinterestsbetweenRussiancitizensandmigrants,wouldcreateanenvironmentofsocialsupportforthestatemigrationpolicy,andforthepreservationofpeaceinsociety.

Inadditiontorecognizingthepositivepotentialofmigration,theremustbeaclearunderstandingofthechallenges—bothobjectivechallenges,causedbytheinfluxofagreatnumberofpeoplewithdifferentethnic identities,culturesand religions,andsubjectivechallenges,causedby the ill-con-ceivedandstrategicallyineffectivemanagementofmigrationprocesses.

Itshouldbenotedthatimplementingamigrationpolicyinordertoachievespecificobjectiveswouldrequirecertaingovernmentexpenses(administrativeandtechnicalcosts;remunerationofadminis-trativepersonnel;trainingandretrainingofimmigrationofficials;thecostsassociatedwithstimulat-ingspecificinternalandtransnationalmigrationflows;moneytocovertravelandaccommodationexpenses;subsidiesandsocialbenefits;thecostsassociatedwithreplenishinglabourshortagesinRussia;professionaltrainingandretrainingprogrammes,etc.).Thegovernmentwillhavetoallocatemoneyforthis,becausenumerousstudiesindicatethatthebenefitsthehostcountrygetsfromwel-comingmigrantssignificantlyexceeditsexpenses7.

Recommendations on implementation

1. 1.ThedemographicchallengemustbeperceivedinthecontextofRussia’snationalsecurity.Insteadofcreatingbarrierstomigrants,whichistheapproachcurrentlyinplace,theattractivenessofthecountryasadestinationformigrantsneedstobe improvedthroughthecreationof incentivesforglobalandregionalmigrantstobothsettledownpermanentlyandcometothecountryfortemporaryemployment.Amanifesto,ormessage,ontheroleofmigration inRussia,onethatwouldbesignedbythegovernmentorpresident,needstobedraftedandpublishedas soon as possible.Theroleofmediainclarifyingthegovernment’sstrategicpositiononmigrationisalsosignificant.

2. Convincing studies on the prospects for Russia’s demographic development and the role ofmigrationinthecountry’ssocioeconomicdevelopment(includingstudiesthathavealreadybeencarriedoutandstudiestobeconducted in the next few years)needtobesubmittedtosenior

7 Researchconductedinmid-2016acrosstheEUcountriesinrelationtotheacutemigrationcrisisinEurope,andalsodataprovidedbytheWorldBank,indicatethateveryeuroinvestedintomigrants(tocoverresettlementexpenses,in-tegrationandlanguagelearningprogrammes,professionaltrainingandretraining,andmedicalexpenses)willbringthestate2eurosinprofitinfiveyears’time(Legrain,Philippe,Refugees’Work:AHumanitarianInvestmentThatYieldsEconomicDividends.TheTentFoundation.May2016:https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55462dd8e4b0a65de-4f3a087/t/573cb9e8ab48de57372771e6/1463597545986/Tent-Open-Refugees+Work_VFINAL-singlepages.pdf).Thiseconomicpragmatismlargelyexplainstherelativelyrefugee-friendlypoliciesofmanyEUcountries.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55462dd8e4b0a65de4f3a087/t/573cb9e8ab48de57372771e6/1463597545986/Tent-Open-Refugees+Work_VFINAL-singlepages.pdf



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officials responsible for decision-making with regard to migration (annual analytical reports,professionaldevelopmentprogrammes,parliamentaryhearingsandroundtablediscussions).Thisactivitycouldbeundertakenbyagovernmentcommissiononmigrationpolicy,thePresidentialCouncilforInterethnicRelations,thePublicChamberandtheexpertcommunity.

3. The General Administration for Migration Issues of the Ministry of the Interior of the RussianFederationneeds to introduce,as soon as possible,professionaldevelopmentprogrammesforfederalandregionalofficialstoacquaintthemwithascientificallysoundperceptionoftheroleofmigrationinRussia’seconomicanddemographicdevelopment,familiarizethemwithforeignexamplesofmigrationpolicies,andhelpthemunderstandthenecessityofasystemicapproachtothemanagementofmigrationprocesses8.

4.By 2025,thegovernmentneedstodevelopaprofessionaltrainingprogrammeinsupportofthemigrationpolicy.TheprogrammeneedstoproceedfromthenecessitytocreateaclassofhighlyprofessionalmigrationmanagementprofessionalsandsetupanetworkofspecializedtrainingprogrammesatRussianuniversitiestotrainandretrainmigrationmanagementspecialists.

8 One possible model on which to base a training programme on migration could be the educational materi-als compiled by the Russian International Affairs Council as part of the project “International Migration Processes:Trends, Challenges and Outlook” entitled “Migration in Russia: The Economic Aspects”: http://russiancouncil.ru/inner/?id_4=6588#top-content

http://russiancouncil.ru/inner/?id_4=6588#top-content

http://russiancouncil.ru/inner/?id_4=6588#top-content

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The strategic goals of Russia’s migration policy must be seen behind all the regulatory acts passed and administrative decisions taken in this area.

Argument

Russia’smigrationpolicyfacesconcretestrategicgoalsstemmingfromthespecificfeaturesofitscurrentdemographic,economic,andpoliticaldevelopment.Theseare:1) replacingRussia’snaturalpopulationdeclinebybringinginmigrantsfromabroadandstabilizingthesizeofthepermanentpopulation;2)giventhedeclineinnationallabourresources,meetingthedemandofRussia’slabourmarketinadditionalwork-forcebyattracting temporary internationalmigrantworkers;and3) changingthecurrentvectorsofinternalmigrationthatincreasetheunevenpopulationdensityinRussia,andensuringpopulationincreaseinstrategicallyimportantregions,primarilyintheRussianFarEast.Thesegoals,whicheffectivelymeanstimulatingmigrationflows,shouldbe tied to theno lesscrucialgoalofensuring thesecurityofRussiaanditscitizensbysurmountingtherisksinvolvedinlargenumbersofmigrantsen-teringthecountry.Thisgoalisachievedbyeffectivelymonitoringcompliancewithmigration legislation, creating effective mechanisms for controlling migration intoRussiaandminimizingthenumberof illegalmigrantsenteringthecountry.Atthesametime,overcomingmigrationrisksshouldnottaketheplaceoforcontradicttherealizationofthepositivepotentialofinternationalandinternalmigrationthatRussianeeds.

ThesegoalswerereflectedintheConceptoftheStateMigrationPolicyoftheRussianFederationthroughto2025approvedin2012.Onthewhole,however,theConceptsignedbythePresidentasagoal-settingdocumentfailedtoenshrineaclearstrategicpolicyofthestateonmigration.Acknowledgingtheroleofmigrationflowsinsta-bilizingandincreasingRussia’spermanentpopulationandmeetingtheeconomy’sdemandforlabour,theConceptpushesnationalsecuritytotheforefront,whichiseffectivelyunderstoodascurbingtheinfluxofmigrants.Asaresult,incontradictiontothegoalsandprinciplesdeclaredinthedocument,legislativeactsadopted“tode-veloptheConcept”clearlyleadtotighteningmigrationrules,whichultimatelyresultsinRussialosingitsappealforpotentialimmigrants,fallingnumbersoflegalmigrant

2.

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workersandinincreasedillegalmigration.Expertsadmitthat,“inessence,allthepracticalworkintheareaofmigrationgoesagainstthevectorsetintheConceptoftheStateMigrationPolicy”9.

Intheabsenceofastrategicvisiononthepartofthestateoftherolethatthemigrationresourceplays in Russia’s demographic and economic development, migration legislation often proclaimscertaintaskswhileactuallybeinggearedtowardothersentirely.Havingpassedthroughthestreamofintra-agencystatutes,ordersanddocuments,apieceoflegislationbecomesaninstrumentthatopposestheobjectivegoalsfaingmigrationpolicy.Overcomingsuchpracticeshouldbecomepartofboth the short- and long-term prospectsofthemigrationstrategy.


1. By 2025,anexpertcommitteethatworksasapermanentbodyandnotasapublicserviceshouldbeestablishedtoassess legislative initiatives inmigrationmanagementandtheresultsof theirimplementation. Such a committee, which would be made up of a relatively narrow circle ofmigrationprofessionals(anthropologists,economists,lawyers,demographers),couldcarryoutorcommissionstudiesofthemigrationsituation,analyseemergingmigrationtrendsandchallenges,and assess the adequacy of decisions on migration with regard to the overall socioeconomicstrategyofRussia’sdevelopment.Suchpracticeshavebeenadoptedinmanycountries,whereexpertcommitteesoutsidethepurviewofgovernmentalmigrationcontrolagenciesarechargedwithexpertassessmentandmonitoringthemeasuresundertakeninmigrationpolicy.

2. In the immediate future,anextensivediscussionofthelegislationongrantingRussiancitizenshipand its enforcement should be held in order to uncover contradictions and “sticking points”;suchadiscussionshouldinvolvetheacademiccommunityandcivilsocietyinstitutions.Creatingsimplified procedures for granting citizenship should not contradict the policies for migrantadjustment and integration10. Clear distinctions between naturalization procedures for variousimmigrantcategories;flexibilityinissuingresidencepermits;well-definedlimitsforapplyingtheselectivityprinciplethatforegroundstheeconomicanddemographic“rationality”ofimmigrants:theseissuesmustbethesubjectofapublicdiscussion.

3. In the immediate future, the unjustified difficulties in obtaining citizenship by “native Russianspeakers” should be removed (the requirement that the applicant must receive and present adocument proving that his or her country of origin has agreed to revoke previous citizenship,which is, for instance, virtually impossible for citizens of Ukraine). Renouncing one’s previous

9“TheConceptoftheStateMigrationPolicythroughto2025:Declarationsvs.Reality.”ReportbytheCivilInitiativeCom-mittee.Moscow,2015

10Inacademicresearch,theprocessofnaturalizationandthepreparationsformakinganapplicationtobecomeanatu-ralizedcitizen,aswellasthetimebetweenarrivalinacountryandthegrantingofcitizenshiparecloselylinkedwiththeideaofintegration.Theresidencerequirementofseveralyearsthatisinplaceinmostcountriesimpliesthatmigrantswillhaveobtainedtherequisiteknowledge,skillsandqualifications,willhavebecomeusedtolifeinthehostsociety,andwillhavebeenintegratedbythetimecitizenshipisgranted.(ChudinovskikhO.S.StateRegulationonObtainingCitizenshipoftheRussianFederation:PolicyandTrends.Moscow,HigherSchoolforEconomicsPress,2014:https://www.hse.ru/data/misc/library/WP8_2014_04.pdf)

https://www.hse.ru/data/misc/library/WP8_2014_04.pdf

https://www.hse.ru/data/misc/library/WP8_2014_04.pdf

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citizenshipwithapostalstamporanembassyseal,whichisrecognizedforothercategoriesofmigrantsthathavegroundstousethesimplifiedprocedureforapplyingforRussiancitizenship,canbeextendedtoinclude“nativeRussianspeakers.”ProceduresforgrantingRussiancitizenshiptominorswithaparentwhoisaRussiancitizenshouldbesimplifiedaswell.

4. TheStateProgrammetoAssisttheVoluntaryResettlementofCompatriotsLivingAbroadtotheRussianFederationshouldbeimprovedanddeveloped.In the immediate future,theProgrammeshouldbegivenrepatriationstatus(similartotheanalogousprogrammesinGermanyandIsrael),therebyexpandingthenumberofpotentialparticipantsandconfirmingtheideaof“gatheringtheRussiannation.”PeopleapplyingforthisstatusundertheProgrammeshouldnotbeselectedanddiscriminatedagainstbasedontheirage,education,professionandskills,asthiswouldbeindirectcontradiction with the idea of state promoting the repatriation of compatriots. AdministrativebarrierspreventingparticipantsintheProgrammeandtheirfamilymembersfromgainingalegalstatus,findingemploymentandsettlingintheRussianFederationshouldbeminimized.Excessivebarriershaveanegative“demonstrationeffect”forpotentialimmigrantsanddirectlycontradictthestrategicgoalofstimulatingtheinflowofmigrantstomitigatethedemographiccrisisinRussia.For instance, therequirementforparticipants intheStateProgrammetoberegisteredat theirplaceofresidenceisimpossibletocomplywithforthoseparticipantswhodonothaverelativesinRussia.Areasonablealternativecouldbetointroducetherequirementtoregisterasamigrant.

5. In the short term,thelistofcategoriesofforeigncitizenswhoneedtotakeatestintheRussianlanguageandhistoryandthebasicsofRussianlegislationshouldbeadjusted.Thisisarequirementthat is justified when applying for a residence permit or Russian citizenship, but proves to bea pointless hurdle for temporary migrant labourers applying for work permits in Russia. TheRussianlanguagerequirementsformigrantsareverylow,andmigrantscanhardlyusethemtobolstertheirpositiononthelabourmarket,improvetheirprofessionalskills,ordefendtheirrights.Introduced“tocreateprerequisites formigrantadjustmentand integration”, the testhasonlyresultedinincreasingthecostsoffindinglegalemploymentandhasthuspromptedmigrantstoshift into illegalemployment.Migrant labourerswork invariousareasoftheRussianeconomyandtheircontactswiththelocalpopulationvaryinscale.Logically,itisnotsomuchthestateasitistheemployerthatshoulddeterminewhetheratemporarymigrant’scommandofthelocallanguageisadequatetotheworkthemigrantperforms.

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It is important to retain visa-free travel as a factor in the cohesion of the post-soviet space.

Argument

TheCISisapointofintersectionwherethecompetinginterestsofmanyglobalandregionalpowersmeet.Manyactorsontheinternationalstageaimformaximumpoliticalandeco-nomicdivisionsbetweentheformerSovietrepublics.Russia,onthecontrary,isinterestedinboostingeconomicandgeopoliticalintegrationintheregion.Insuchcircumstances,vi-sa-freetravelbetweenformerSovietrepublicscouldbeviewedasafactorthatsupportsthehistoricalunityofthepost-Sovietspaceandprovidesconditionsfortheregion’seconomicandpoliticalintegration.Whatismore,retainingvisa-freetravelintheCISisanimportantfactorinshapingintra-regionalmigrations.ThisisimportantbothforthedevelopmentofRussia,whichobtainsadditionallabourresourcesonthelabourmarketoftheformerSovi-etrepublics,andforthecountriesthatserveasRussia’sprincipalmigrationpartners:theirinterestinfindingjobsontheregionallabourmarketforashareoftheiremployablepopu-lationandinobtainingsignificantmoneyinremittancesfrommigrantsworkinginotherCIScountries,primarilyinRussiaandinKazakhstan,istherebyrealized.


1. Russia’smigrationstrategythrough 2025shouldbeinalignmentwithitsforeignpolicystrategyasitisreflectedintheForeignPolicyConceptoftheRussianFederationapprovedbythePresidentoftheRussianFederationonNovember30,2016,whichdirectlystatesthatdevelopingbilateralandmultilateralcooperationwithCISmemberstatesandfurtherstrengtheningintegrationstructuresoperatingintheCISspaceareprioritiesofRussia’sforeignpolicy.Insuchcircumstances,visa-freetravelbetweentheregion’scountriesisanimportantconditionforbolsteringregionalcooperation.

2. Visa-freetraveldoesnotexclude(andgiventhecurrentsituation,itimplies)enhancedborderandcustomscontrol,installingstate-of-the-arttechnicalequipmentforcheckinglegalityofbordercrossingandpreventingpossibleviolations.For the period up to 2035,technicalrequirementsforpaperworkthatgrantstherighttocrossborders,especiallyforforeignpassports,andforfingerprintingproceduresshouldbeconstantlyimproved.

3.

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The principal goal in international labour migration is to create a working model (a model that is not ignored by employers and migrants) to attract foreign labour. Such a model should be based on the real demands of the Russian labour market, should not infringe upon the rights of Russian employees and should guarantee the rights of migrant workers.

ArgumentContrarytopopularbelief,attractingforeignlabourmaynotbetheonlysolutiontothelabourshortageprobleminRussia.Awell-thought-throughgovernmentpolicyinedu-cationandemploymentmaysignificantly improvethesituationbyenhancingthesys-temofprofessionaleducation(bothvocationalandhighereducation),throughamorerationaldistributionofexistinglabourresources,implementingprofessionalretrainingprogrammes, involvingtheeconomically inactivepopulation,re-introducingasystemof work incentives, etc. The policy for attracting migrant workers should be an additional, not a principal, instrument in remedying the labour market situation.OncetheactualnumberofpositionsthancannotbefilledbyRussiansisdetermined,thestatemayallowemployerstohireforeignworkforce.

Channels for finding foreign workforce should be clear and convenient both for Rus-sianemployersandformigrantworkers.Inthelate1990s,whenCIScitizensflockedtoRussiaenmasseinsearchofemployment,theproceduresforobtainingtheappropriateworkpermitsforforeigncitizensweremadeundulycomplicatedandbureaucraticallyconvoluted.Thisvirtuallypushedmigrantsandemployershiringmigrantsbeyondthelegal boundaries. Given the state’s weak control over employment, the unregisteredhiringofmigrantsbecameanormforRussianbusinesses;itfedthealreadylarge-scaleshadowsectoroftheRussianeconomyandmadeillegallabourmigrationamassphe-nomenon.Subsequently,changestotheRussianlegislationonlabourmigrationandtheintroductionofstifffinesforemployerswhobreachmigrationandlabour lawsfailedtoturnthesituationaround,especiallysincetherulesforemployingforeignworkforcewereconstantlychanging.

4.

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GiventhetraditionalmodelofhiringforeignworkersthatemergedinRussia,migrantsarenotguar-anteedsocialemploymentstandards:theirlabourandsocialrightsareviolated,anddiscriminationandexploitationareapubliclyrecognizednorminlabourrelations.Thatresultsinviolationsoffaircompetitiononthelabourmarket,andRussianworkersloseout.Thesituationneedstoberemedied.

Theundevelopedofficialmigrationinfrastructureisa“stickingpoint”ofthecurrentmodelofattract-ingforeignworkers;consequently, labourmigrationprocessesremain largelyspontaneous,whiletheroleofeffectiveintermediarieshasbeenassumedbyshadowgroups,mostlyofcertainethnicorigins,thattakemigrationflowsbeyondthelegalboundaries.

The procedure for attracting highly skilled migrants by offering them special preferences for em-ploymentandresidenceinRussiaisapromisinginstrumentforprovidingtheRussianeconomywithhighlyskilledforeignworkers,especiallygivenRussia’sorientationtowardinnovativedevelopment.However,practiceshowsthatthisprocedurecallsfortheeliminationofthediscrepanciesbetweenmigrationregulationsthatapplytotheentry,stayandemploymentofhighlyskilledprofessionalsinRussiaontheonehandandtheprovisionsofadministrative,financialandlabourlegislationontheother.


1. Before the demand for foreign labour on the Russian market is determined, the real labourshortage should be worked out and the possibility of redistributing national labour resourcesinvestigated.Suchataskcannotbesettothemigrationagency,sinceitdoesnothaveadequatemethodologiesandpersonnel.ThistaskshouldbesetprimarilytotheFederalServiceforLabourand Employment of the Russian Federation. The task testifies to the need of inter-agencycooperationinthepracticalimplementationofthemigrationpolicy.Thetaskshouldberesolvedwhile simultaneously implementing the government’s socioeconomic, employment, educationand regional development policies. The medium-term prognosis for economic development,investments and, accordingly, the regional labour market based on analyses of all availableinformationresources(bothadministrativeandresearch)atthefederalandregionallevelscouldserveasgoodinstrumentforamorepreciseassessmentofthecurrentandprospectiveshortageonthelabourmarketdistributedbyprofessionalgroupsandregions.Thisworkshouldbestartedimmediatelyandintensified through to 2035.

2. Installing effective mechanisms for protecting the national labour market should become animportant aspect in attracting foreign workers. The migration policy through to 2025 shouldfocuspreciselyondevelopingsuchmechanisms.ThequotasystemusedinmanycountriesprovedtobeineffectiveinRussiainthefaceofwidespreadcorruption,asquotaswereboughtandsold.Thecurrentmechanismforregulatingthepricesofpatentsalsoappearstolacksufficientflexibility.Theinterestsofthenationalworkforcecouldbeprotectedbyimposingquantitativelimitationson the number of foreign labourers in the country. Priority hiring for Russian workers alreadyguaranteesthattheyhaveanadvantageonthe labourmarket.The legalandproperlyapplied

30


principle of equal pay for migrant and Russian workers is another mechanism for protectingnationallabourmarket,sinceitpreventsemployersfromviewingmigrantsascheaplabour.Suchanapproachallowsustotackletheproblemofwage-dumpinginsectorsthathavehighnumbersofmigrantworkers,aswellastheproblemofmigrantexploitationandhumantrafficking.Thekeyhereistomonitortheactivitiesofemployershiringforeignworkers.

3. By 2025, the mechanism for attracting foreign highly skilled professionals (HSP) should beworkedout.Thiswillrequire:1)amoreprecisedefinitionofthecriteriausedtograntHSPstatus(currently,theonlycriterionisaminimumannualsalary),includingeducationalandprofessionalqualifications; 2)regulationstobedevelopedwithregardtothedurationofstayandemploymentforforeignHSPinRussia(especiallyforthosewhoworkinRussiaforlessthanoneyear);3)thepossibilityofbeingemployedasanHSP inRussiabothunderdual-employmentandfreelancecontracts(notonlyunderlabourandcivillabourcontracts,asisthecasecurrently)tobeextended.

4. WithregardtoemployingmigrantworkersfromcountrieswhosecitizensmustobtainavisainordertoenterRussia,by 2025,thecurrentquotasystemforbringinginforeignworkers,accordingtowhichquotasaredeterminedbasedonthenumberofapplicationsreceivedfromemployers(whichhasalreadyprovenineffectivegivenwidespreadcorruption),shouldbereplacedwithamechanismfordeterminingwhetheritisindeedimpossibletohireaRussianworkerforaspecificvacancy(labourmarkettest).

5. By 2025, a state programme for the creation of the official international labour migrationinfrastructureshouldbedeveloped.Thegoalofthisinfrastructureshouldbetocreateacomplexofgovernmentalandnon-governmentalconsultingandinformationservicesintended,ontheonehand,forRussianemployershiringforeignworkersandforforeignnationalsarrivinginRussiaforthepurposesofemploymentontheother.Thiswillallowshadowintermediariestoberemovedfromthesystemoflabourmigrationmanagement.

6. In the immediate future,themandatorytestintheRussianlanguage,historyandlegislationshouldbeabolishedasaconditionforobtainingaworkpermitfortemporarymigrantworkers.ThetestisessentiallyanartificialrestrictionblockingtheaccessofforeignworkerstotheRussianlabourmarket,promptingmigrantworkerstomove intoshadowemployment.Theglobalexperienceofmigrationmanagementdemonstratesthatmanycountrieshostingmigrantsadministerlocal/nationallanguagetestsonlyforpersonsapplyingforaresidencepermitorcitizenship.

7. GiventhevariegatedsituationonthelabourmarketinRussia’sregions,itisnecessarytodeveloptheregionalaspectsofmigrationpolicies.ThefirststrategicallyimportantdecisiononmigrationinRussiawastheresolutiontotransferthepowerstoissuepatentstomigrantsandregulatetheinfluxofmigrantsintothecountrybysettingpatentscostsandtheirannualadjustmentstotheregionallevel.Regionsmaystrikeabalanceoflabourresourcesandindependentlydeterminetheshortageofworkersandthedemandforforeignlabour.

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Bringing foreign workers with the necessary skills into the Russian labour market requires a state-level approach to solving the issue of the professional training of migrant workers.

Argument

Despitethefactthatthereare3–4millionforeignworkersontheRussianlabourmarket,there isapermanentlyunmethighdemandfor labour:thenumberofvacanciesreg-isteredwithstateemploymentservicessteadilyremainsbetween1.3and1.4million.ThismeansthattherequiredprofessionalcompetenciesofforeignworkersdonotmeetthedemandsoftheRussianlabourmarket.ThisstemsfromthediscrepancybetweentheprofessionalandlinguistictrainingreceivedbymigrantsintheirhomecountriesandtherequirementsofRussianemployers,aswellasfrommigrants’readinesstobeem-ployedoutsideoftheirprofession,wherevertherearevacancies.Researchshowsthatnearlyhalfofprofessionallytrainedforeignworkersareemployedinpositionsoutsidetheirspecialization.

Toensure that the labourmigrationpotentialdoes indeedbecomearesource for re-plenishingtheshortageofworkersontheRussianlabourmarket,itisnecessary,ontheonehand,totiemigrationpolicytightertotheoverallsituationontheRussianlabourmarketand,ontheotherhand,tocreatepossibilitiesformigrantstoreceiveprofession-aleducationthatisinlinewiththedemandsoftheRussianlabourmarket.

Currently,theRussianlabourmarketismostlygearedtowardattractinglow-skilledfor-eignworkers,whichartificiallybolstersthecompetitiveadvantageofRussianbusiness.However, inthelongrun,astheRussianeconomymovesalongthepathofmodern-ization,andwhenlabourproductivityincreases,then(inreality,andnotindeclarationsonly) theneed tohirehighly skilledandqualifiedprofessionalswill increase.Thenaworkingsystemofprofessionaltrainingformigrants incurrentprofessionswillbe inparticularlyhighdemand.

Itisalsoimportanttotakethelong-termforeignpoliticaladvantagesintoaccount:inthefuture,CIScitizenswhohavereceivedaprofessionaleducationinRussiawilltaketheprofessionalexperienceandskillstheyhavegainedinRussiabackwiththemtotheir

5.

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homecountriesandthuscontributetothedevelopmentofthosecountriesandtherebyincreasethestabilityofeconomicdevelopmentintheentireregion.


1. InstrumentsforstructuringtheflowofmigrantworkersintoRussiainaccordancewiththestructureofdemandforparticularprofessionsandskillsshouldbedevelopedby 2025andintroducedintopracticaluseby 2035.

2. By2025,achannelfortheorganizedhiringofforeignworkersshouldbesetupsothatRussianemployersandforeignworkersmayagreeontherequiredandexistingskillspriortotheworkers’arrivalinRussia.

3. By 2025, a system for training migrant employees in Russia should be set up at the existingvocational educational institutions, and new educational institutions should be established.Creatinganeducationalmarketsegmentfortrainingforeignworkerswouldensurethenecessarylevelofprofessionalandlanguagetraining.EducationshouldbepaidforwithstudentloanstobepaidbackfromfutureearningsinRussia.

4. Central Asian countries will remain the main migration donors until 2035. Their demographicpotential will suffice until then to ensure the flow of migrant workers into Russia. The bulk ofeffortstoprovideprofessionaltrainingtomigrantsshouldbegearedtowardthosecountries.By 2025,itwouldbewisetosetuplanguageandprofessionaltrainingcentresforpotentialmigrantsintheirhomecountriesandtoarrangefortheirfurtherprofessionaltraininginRussianeducationalinstitutions; these activities should be based on bilateral intergovernmental agreements withCentralAsiancountries.

5. A state programme of professional training for migrants should be developed by 2025. Theprogramme shouldbegeared towards shapinga systemof vocationaleducation formigrantsbothinRussiaandintheirhomecountriesandtowardbolsteringgovernmentalcooperationincareercounsellingformigrantsintheregion.SuchasystemshouldtakeintoaccountthedemandforparticularskillsontheRussianmarket.

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Internal migration policy should be an important component of the government’s strategy.

Argument

ThetrendsthathaveappearedspontaneouslyinRussiainrecentdecades(lowinter-nalmobilityandstable flowofpeople fromRussia’seasternandnorth-easternre-gionsintoSiberiaandEuropeanRussia)provedextremelyunfavourableforthepros-pectsofRussia’seconomic,demographicandpoliticaldevelopment,andinregardtotheRussianFarEast,theyhaveputRussia’snationalsecurityandterritorialintegrityatrisk11.

GivenRussia’shugeterritoryandunevenpopulationdensity,internalmigrationpolicycanandshouldbeanimportantcomponentofthegovernment’sstrategy,especiallywhenmajoreconomicprojectsarebeingcarriedout.Currently,suchapolicyispar-ticularlyrelevantduetothedemographiccrisis inRussiaandtheexistingunfavour-abletrendsinspontaneousinternalmigration(theoutflowofthepopulationfromtheeasternregions,andtheconcentrationofthepopulationinthemetropolitanareaofthecapital).Thestate’sinterestliesinstimulatinginternallabourandinternalmi-gration,whichwouldhelptopartiallyovercomethelowpopulationmobilitythatistypicalofRussia,maketheRussianlabourmarketmoreflexiblegeographically,andshapethemigrationvectorsthatarerequiredbythestateinaccordancewithRussia’sregionalandspatialdevelopmentstrategy.


1. Stimulating internalmigrationandshapingthemobilityvectors requiredby thestatemaybeachievedthroughcoordinatedmeasuresinthemigration,regionaldevelopment,employment,housingandtaxationpolicies.Priorityshouldbegiventoeconomicmeasures thatstimulate internalmigration,suchassocialbenefits,

11ZayonchkovskayaZ.A.,NozdrinaN.A.MigrationExperienceofthePopulationofRussia’sRegionalCentres(BasedonaSurveyConductedin10Cities)//Problemyprognozirovaniia(ForecastingProb-lems),2008,No.4,pp.98–112.Alsoavailableat:http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/2009/0389/analit03.php; Denisenko M.B., Karachurina L. B., Mkrtchian N. V. Are Russia’s Unemployed Pre-paredtoMovetoFindJobs?)//DemoscopeWeekly,Nos.445–446,November29—December12,2010:http://demoscope.ru/weekly/2010/0445/tema07.php

6.

http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/2009/0389/analit03.php

http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/2009/0389/analit03.php


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reduced-ratemortgagesand tax reliefs, including tax reliefs for smallbusinesses.Asystemofsuchstimulatingmeasuresshouldbedevelopedby 2025.

2. InordertoovercomethespontaneousnatureofinternalmigrationinRussia,theofficialmigrationinfrastructure for labour migration (governmental and non-governmental consulting andinformationservicesformigrantsofferinginformationonemploymentopportunitiesinRussianregions and providing specific aid in looking for jobs, offering information on housing rentals,obtaining a professional education etc.) should, by 2025, be oriented towards offering theirservicestointernalmigrantsaswell.

3. Thecurrentadministrativerequirementtoberegisteredatone’splaceofresidencehaslargelylostitscontrolfunction;itonlyslowsdownterritorialmobilityandnarrowsemploymentopportunities.Itwouldbewise, by 2025,toreplacethisrequirementwithamoreflexibleeconomicinstrumentofregistration—theIndividualTaxpayerIdentificationNumber,whichwouldremoveexcessiveadministrativebarriersblockingmigrationmobility.

4. By 2025, coordination should be ensured between the instruments for implementing Russia’smigration strategy, the Framework State Policy for the Regional Development of the RussianFederation through to 2025, and the Federal Programme for Supporting Migration to theRussianFarEastinplacesince2014.ImplementationofthatFederalProgrammeissloweddownbyaseriesofadministrativerestrictions,particularlyinobtainingmortgages.Nevertheless,theprogrammecouldbeconsideredapilotprojectinshapingtheeasternvectorofinternalmigrationinRussia.Surveyscarriedoutin2008–2009ofresidentsofEuropeanRussiawhohavetroublefindingemploymentshowedthatone in five people(!)arewillingtoconsidermovingtoSiberiaortheRussianFarEastdependingonwhatkindofsupportisprovidedbythestate12.Theformssuchstatesupportassumesshouldnaturallyfittherealityofmarketeconomy,buttheyshouldconstituteaconsciousstepofthestatetowardspeoplewillingtotakepartinsolvingastrategicstatetask

12DenisenkoM.B.,KarachurinaL.B.,MkrtchianN.V.AreUnemployedPeopleinRussiaPreparedtoMovetoFindJobs?//DemoscopeWeekly,Nos.445–446,November29—December12,2010:http://demoscope.ru/weekly/2010/0445/tema07.php



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The need to codify migration legislation13.

Argument

MigrationlegislationinRussiaisinaconstantstateofflux,anditmostlyhappenswithintheframeworkof theexisting lawsandother legalacts thatareoften inadequatetothenewlypositedgoals.Forinstance,FederalLawNo.115-FZ“OntheLegalStatusofForeignCitizensintheRussianFederation”datedJuly25,2002remainstheframeworkregulatoryactthatformsthecoreofmigrationlegislation.Thislawservesastheframe-workfortheentirecorpusofmigrationlegislation.Overtime,ithasbeenamendedwithover60federal laws,andsomeoftheseamendmentshavethemselvesbeenamend-edseveral times,which increases theoverallnumberofamendmentsandmakes thelawcumbersomeinapplication.Constantly“inflating”thecontentsoftheFederalLawlargely leadsto thedestructionof itssystemicattributesandsystemicapproachestodevelopingmigrationlegislationasawhole.

Today, it is obvious to migrants, officials at migration agencies, employers, and eventheheadsofmigrationagenciesthatthe“accumulated”Russianmigrationlegislationisnon-systemicandinternallycontradictory;itneedsgreaterprecisionandlogic.Hencethe2004initiativeoftheFederalMigrationService,whichproposesthedevelopmentofaMigrationCodeasasingledocumentthatcoverstheentirecomplexoflegalnormsregulatingmigration.In2004,theinitiativewasnottakenanyfurther,probablybecausethereweretoomanyconflictinginterestsandstancesatplaywithregardtoregulatingmigrationinRussia.Thoseinterestsandstanceswerereflectedinpreviouslymigrationlaws,andtheyprovedanobstacle in thepath todraftingadocument foundedonasingleconceptualbasis.

Nowitisthetimetoreturntotheideaofcodifyingtheentirecorpusofmigrationlegis-lationandthesubordinatelegalactsanddraftasingleactthatwouldbothstreamlinetheregulatoryframeworkandserveasgroundstoradicallyreworksomeofitselements,

13Codification is broadly understood as activity intended to systematize and radically rework existinglegislationbydevelopingandpassinganewframeworkregulatorylegalact(TheoryofLawandState.Student’sBook.Moscow:Pravoizakon,2001,pp.213–229).Today,Russianlawhas20codes:theTaxCode,theFamilyCode,theCivilCode,thePenalCode,theHousingCode,etc.

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ensuringtheircoordinationandconciseness.DevelopingandapprovingaStrategyofRussia’sMi-grationDevelopmentatthestatelevelcouldbecomeaconceptualfoundationforasingleregulatorylegaldocumentonmigrationmanagement.Inotherwords,aMigrationCodecouldcontributetoresolvingthoseproblemsthataredetrimentaltothecurrentstateofmigrationmanagementandlawenforcementintheareaandserveasafoundationforimplementingthestrategicvisionoftheroleofmigrationinRussia.


1. Developing a migration code by 2035 could serve as grounds for conducting broad legal,sociological, economic and psychological research into the migration situation and migrationpolicyinRussiainordertodeterminetheareasforimprovingthesystemofmigrationmanagementthataccordwithcontemporaryrealities.

2. Drafting a Migration Code would require professionals with sufficient knowledge and skills invarious areas to work together, as well as the cooperation of the state, civil society, businesscommunity,andinternationalorganizations,allofwhichwouldhelpensuretransparencyofthelaw-makingprocess.

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It is mandatory that the issues in implementing migration policy be realized via a single federal agency.

ArgumentFor Russia, migration is an important socioeconomic and demographic process thatneedstobemanagedincloseconnectionwiththestate’ssocioeconomic,employmentand demographic policies. At the same time, migration carries challenges and riskslinkedtonationalsecurityandlawenforcement.Essentially,searchingforabalancebe-tweensocioeconomicgoalsandensuringnationalsecuritywithinthestate’smigrationpolicyisataskfacingallcountriesthatadmitlargenumbersofmigrants.InRussia,thisissuebecameparticularlyrelevantwhentheFederalMigrationServiceofRussiawasdis-solvedinApril2016andthefunctionsofmanagingmigrationissuesweretransferredtotheMinistryoftheInterioroftheRussianFederation,wheretheGeneralAdministrationforMigrationIssueswasestablished.Lawenforcementbecamethesolefocalpointofmigrationmanagement.

Managementofmigrationprocessescomeswithin thepurviewofanentireseriesofRussianagencies:theMinistryoftheInterior,theMinistryofForeignAffairs,theFederalServiceforLabourandEmploymentandtheBorderServiceoftheFederalSecuritySer-viceoftheRussianFederation.Butsincethesebodiesperformalargevolumeofstatefunctions,migrationissuesholdarelativelysmallplaceintheiractivities.Giventherolethatmigration,especiallyinternationalmigration,hasacquiredforthedevelopmentofRussia,itwouldbewisetoconcentrateissuesofdevelopingandimplementingmigra-tionpolicyinits“civildimension”(thatis,attractingmigrantsforpermanentresidence,grantingcitizenship,attractingtemporarymigrantworkerstotheRussianlabourmarket,ensuringthattheyareproperlyqualified,andmanagingtheprocessesofinternalmigra-tion,migrantadjustmentandintegration)withinthepurviewofasinglecivilfederalin-stitution.Issuespertainingtolawenforcementandensuringnationalsecurity(grantingvisas,crossingborders,uncoveringcrimescommittedbyforeignnationals,etc.)shouldremainwithintheresponsibilitiesoftheagenciesthatperformtheappropriatefunctions(theMinistryoftheInterior,theMinistryofForeignAffairs,theBorderService).

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InthehistoryofinstitutionalizingRussia’smigrationpolicy,therewasaperiodwhenmigrationman-agementwastransferredtotheMinistryoftheInterior.Thishappenedin2002,andwaslargelyduetothefactthattheofficialattitudeoftheauthoritiestomigrationwasclearlynegative.Thereasonforthedecisionwas,amongotherthings,the“9/11effect”andtheincreasedillegalmigrationintoRus-sia,whichwasdeclaredathreattonationalsecurity.Theresultsofthereformarewell-known:theworkofthenewFederalMigrationServicebecamemuchlesstransparent;theskillsoftheemployeesdroppedsharply;mostcivilservantsquittheirpositions,meaningthattheservicebecame“shutoff”from contacts with human rights organizations and the academic community; and corruption inmigrationareaskyrocketed.Later,severalhigh-rankingRussianofficialsadmittedthattransferringmigrationissuestotheMinistryoftheInteriorhadbeenamistake14.

TransferringtheFederalMigrationServicetothejurisdictionoftheMinistryoftheInteriorin2002wasashort-sighteddecision,notbecauseministriesoftheinteriorareinherentlyunfittoimplementmigrationpolicies,butbecausetheRussianpoliceisasecurityagency,andconsequently,migrationpolicywastransformedfromamanagementtaskintoanationalsecuritytask15.Suchmigrationpol-icyareasastheadjustmentandintegrationofmigrantstotheirnewsocietyturnedouttobeentirelyoutsidethescopeofthemigrationservice,sincetheagencyhadneithertheexperiencenorthenec-essarycompetenciestohandlesuchtasks.

The2002institutionalizingmistakeresultedinmigrationbeingtightlybindingtothepolice—andthereforetocrime—inpublicconsciousness.Theagencyitselfandnowsociety,too,viewmigrationasaphenomenonthatproblematizesRussia’sdevelopment,andthis isfundamentallywrong.ForRussia,migrationisnotsomuchaproblemasitisaresource,anditmustbeusedskilfullyorelseitmayputaquestionmarkoverRussia’sfuturedemographicandeconomicdevelopment.Migrationbecomesaproblemwhenunskilled,inconsistentmanagementresultsinincreasedillegalmigration,theunregisteredemploymentofmigrants,corruption,thedevelopmentofshadowservicesformi-grants,multipleviolationsofmigrants’rights,anincreaseinanti-migrantsentimentsandinterethnicclashes.

14ChairmanoftheFederationCouncilSergeyMironovsaidthattransferringmigrationpolicyissuestothepurviewofthepolicehadnotsolvedasingleproblem,butgravelyexacerbatedcorruption.SergeyMironov’sinterviewwithInterfaxNewsAgency(Vedomosti,23.07.2008):http://www.vedomosti.ru/newsline/index.shtml?2008/07/23/627973

15Itshouldbenotedthatthereareindeedcountrieswheremigrationpolicyfallswithinthepurviewoftherespectiveministryoftheinterior,forinstance,Germany,theUnitedKingdom,ItalyandSpain.However,inthosecountries,theministryoftheinteriorisresponsibleforasinglesegmentofthemigrationpolicy:issuingentryandstaypermits,car-ryingoutimmigrationcontrol,grantingcitizenshipanddeportingillegalmigrants.Issuingworkpermitsfallswithinthejurisdictionoftheministriesoflabour,andissuesofintegrationandsocialprotectionofmigrantsaretheresponsibilityoftherespectiveministriesofsocialdevelopment.Independentdepartmentsworkwithrefugeeissues.Thus,imple-mentingmigrationpolicyisdividedupinaccordancewiththeagencies’competenciesanddifferentiationofmigrationflows.Nottomentionthefactthatdevelopingmigrationpolicyispositedasacomprehensivetaskinwhichtheministryoftheinteriordoesnotplayaleadingrole.

http://www.vedomosti.ru/newsline/index.shtml?2008/07/23/627973

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Recommendations on implementation1. By 2025,afederalcivilserviceshouldbeestablishedthatiscapableofimplementingmigration

policy in accordance with the strategic vision of the role of the migration resource in thedevelopmentofRussiaandincloseconnectionwithotherstatepolicies.Attheregionallevel,theagencies’bodieswouldensuretheattractionofmigrantsforpermanentresidenceandtemporaryemploymentbasedonthespecificmigrationandlabourmarketsituation.Asacivilagency,suchan institution could manage migration as a socioeconomic and demographic process (whichcorrespondstoitsrealsignificanceforRussia)andimplementthecrucialareaofmigrationpolicythatistohelpmigrantsadjusttotheirnewhomeandintegrateintothehostsociety,combiningsocioeconomicandsocioculturalmeasuresinordertodoso.

2. The Ministry of the Interior should retain its functions of uncovering offences committed byforeignnationalsandcontrollingcompliancewithmigrationlegislation.

3. IssuingRussiancitizenpassportsandforeigntravelpassportsisalsothefunctionoftheMinistryoftheInterior;althoughthisfallswithinthepurviewofthemigrationservice, it isunrelatedtomigrationmanagement.

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Compliance with the migration legislation that has been passed should be subjected to rigorous and effective control.

Argument

Thistenetdoesnotcontradictthecreationofbroadchannelsforimmigrationandthelegalemploymentoftemporarymigrants.Migrationlegislationmayofferquiteliberaltermsofentry,stayandemployment tocertaincategoriesofmigrants, ifsuchtermsareinRussia’sinterests.Buttheserulesmustbestrictlyobservedbymigrants,officialsemployedatmigrationagenciesandemployers.InRussiaspecifically,corruption isabarrier to compliance with migration legislation. Bribes create an atmosphere wherelawscanbeviolatedwithimpunity,andapparentlyreasonablelegislationremainsun-observedorevenperverted.Migrationbecameonethemostcorruption-riddenareasinRussia:virtuallyallinstrumentsofmigrationpolicyinitiallyintendedtoregulateandcontrolmigrationflows(registration,verificationletters,certificates,patents)aresoldandcounterfeited,andviolationsof legallystipulatedemploymentproceduresforfor-eignworkersoftenbecomeasourceofprofitformonitoringagencies.

ThecurrentsystemofattractingforeignworkersfromCIScountriesisnotentirelyeffec-tive:workerspurchaseapatentandmaketheappropriatemonthlypayments.However,theymayworkwithoutanemploymentcontract.Evenwhenthereisacontractinplace,employers do not have to inform the migration and taxation agencies that a foreignworkerhasbeenhired,andthelabourrelationsremain“semi-legal”—theappropriatesocialpaymentsarenotmade,thelabourandsocialrightsofmigrantsarenotguaran-teed,andthefullamountofincometaxisnotpaidintothetreasury.ThesameappliestolabourmigrationwithintheEurasianEconomicUnion(EAEU):basedonstatistics,ex-pertclaimthatnomorethanaquarterofemployershiringworkersfromArmenia,Be-larus,KazakhstanandKyrgyzstansubmitthenecessarypaperworkwithregardtohiringforeignworkerstotheappropriateservices,althoughtheyarelegallymandatedtodosowithinthreedaysofsigninganemploymentcontract.

OnlybyovercomingcorruptioninmonitoringcompliancewithmigrationlegislationcanweensurethatinternationalmigrationreallydoescontributetostabilizingthesituationontheRussianlabourmarketanddevelopingtheRussianeconomy.

9.

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SinceenforcingadoptedlawsisevidentlyaweakspotofRussianmigrationpolicy,theFederalMi-grationServiceofRussiaproposedacruciallyimportantdraftlaw“OnImmigrationControl”in2014.Thedraftlawfailedtoreflecttheentirecomplexofissuesrelatedtomeansandmechanismsofensur-ingcompliancewithmigrationlegislation,butratherreflectedanarrowdepartmentalapproachtomigrationmanagementbysuggestingthattheFederalMigrationServiceofRussiabegrantedpolicefunctions16.Apparently,thevaguelyformulatedgoalsofmigrationpolicymakeitdifficulttocarryoutthetaskofmonitoringcompliancemigrationlegislation,whileawell-set-upimmigrationcontrolcaneffectively“channel”specificmigrantflowsdependingonthecurrentandfuturedemandsoftheeconomy,thelabourmarketandeducation.

The obvious fact that the Russian authorities do not have an effective mechanism for controllingmigration intoRussia isacauseforconcernforsociety. Itmakesmigrationapressingproblemindomesticpolicies,andprovokesthegrowthofradicalnationalistsentiments.


1. In the immediate future,alaw“OnImmigrationControl”shouldbedrafted.Thelawshouldbeintendednotonlytoprevent,uncoverandsuppressviolationsofmigrationlegislationbyforeignnationals,Russianemployershiringforeignworkers,intermediaryagenciesandofficialsworkinginmigrationmanagement,butalsotoprotecttherightsgrantedtomigrantsbyRussianlegislation.

2. DespitetheexistenceofFederalLawNo.172-FZ“OnAnti-CorruptionAssessmentofRegulatoryLegalActsandDraftRegulatoryLegalActs”datedJuly17,2009andthenewmigrationrulesintroducedin2010(patents,the“90/180rule”,deportationforadministrativeviolations,entryprohibition,etc.),humanrightsorganizationsstatethattherehasbeennonoticeabledecreaseinthelevelofcorruption.Corruptionlinkedtoquotaswasreplacedwithtradeinpermits,certificatesand even citizenship, striking persons from “black lists” in exchange for bribes, etc. Given thedegree of corruption in migration management, the anti-corruption assessment of migrationlegislationshouldbebolsteredin the immediate futurethroughexpandingtheexpertcommunityandinvolvingpublicorganizations.

3. In the immediate future,effectivecontroloverRussianemployershiringforeignworkersmustbeestablished.Itisoftentheemployersthemselveswhoforcemigrantworkerstonotlegalizetheirlabour relations. Existing legal norms concerning fines imposed on employers (stripping themoftherighttohireforeignworkersandevensuspendingtheirbusinessactivitiesiftheyviolatemigrationlegislation)shouldberigorouslyenforced.

4.Starting already in 2017,migrantsrenewingtheirpatentsshouldsubmitcopiesoflabourcontractsforthepreviousyear,andtheauthenticityofthesecontractsmustbeverified.

16ThedraftlawwasrejectedbytheStateDuma.

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5. By 2025, the role of labour inspectorates should be increased. Inspectorates should becomeactive participants in managing international labour migration. To achieve this, the existinglegislationshouldbeamendedtoextendthefunctionsofstatelabourinspectionstocontrollingtheguaranteesoflabourrightsofforeignworkersontheRussianlabourmarket.

6. Theactivitiesofintermediariesthatobtainpaperworkandfindemploymentforforeigncitizensincircumventionoftheexistinglegislationshouldbemadeillegal.

7. Heads of the territorial police branches should be held accountable for not taking measuresintendedtostopthecounterfeitingandsaleofgovernmentdocumentsandstopsuchadvertisinginthemedia.

8. By 2025,astateprogrammeshouldbedevelopedtostrengthencontrolovertheimplementationofmigrationlegislationandfightcorruptioninmigration.Theprogrammemustfocusonsettingup effective mechanisms for monitoring compliance with the laws and other regulatory acts,ensuringthattheirpracticalapplicationisinlinewiththestrategicgoalsofthemigrationpolicy,anduncoveringcorruptionschemesandpracticesinmigrationmanagement.

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The policy of migrant adjustment and integration must be drastically reconsidered.

Argument

Theadjustmentandintegrationofmigrantsisacrucialcomponentofthemigrationpoli-cy.Nationalsecurityrisksinvolvedinmassmigration(suchasthedivisionofsocietyalongethniclines,thelossofcommonvaluesandnorms,theemergenceofimmigrantenclaves,interethnicconflicts)arefarmore likelytobeeliminatedthroughan integrationpolicythanthroughregulatingentryintoanddeparturefromacountry.SincetheRussianstatedoesnotseethis, ithasvirtuallywithdrawnfromthisareaofdomesticpolicies, ignor-ingthesubjectofintegratingmigrants.Asaresult,migrationhasturnedintoapressingdomesticproblem.Giventhelackofaclearlyarticulatedofficialpolicyonmigrantinte-gration,theroleofunofficialintegrationpracticesviasocialnetworksisincreasing,anditcreatesanadditionalthreatofsocietybecomingdividedalongsocio-ethniclines17.

In2015,RussiaintroducedatestinRussianlanguage,historyandthebasicsoftheRus-sianlegislationforforeigncitizensundertheauspicesof“creatingconditionsforthead-justmentandintegrationofmigrants.”Thistestiscertainlynecessaryforthosewhoap-plyforpermanentresidencyorcitizenship,butasfarastemporarymigrantworkersareconcerned,itdoesnotcreatetheconditionsforadjustmentandintegration.Onthecon-trary,itpushesthemintoillegalemployment,wherequasi-integrationismarginal.Thismeasuretestifiestoasimplified,one-sidedunderstandingoftheessenceofintegration,shiftsresponsibilityforintegrationentirelytomigrants,underestimatesthesignificanceofsocialprotectionformigrantsasaconditionfortheirintegration,andblindssocietytotheimportanceofcreatingamigrant-friendlysocialenvironmentandtheimportanceofinvolvingcivilsocietyinstitutionsintheprocessofintegratingmigrants.

Migrantintegrationinahostcountryisatotalityofbeliefsandactionsonthepartofbothmigrantsandthehostsocietythatareaimedtowardsclosingthesocioculturalgap,ad-heringtomutuallyacceptablenormsofbehaviour,mutualrespect,equalityofsocialand

17Mukomel V. I. The Policy of Migrant Integration in Russia: Challenges, Potential, Risks. Working Pa-per. Russian International Affairs Council. Moscow: Spetskinga, 2013: http://www.slideshare.net/RussianCouncil/ss-16968643

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labourrights,andtheeliminationofdiscrimination.Itisgenerallyrecognizedthatmigrantintegrationisatwo-waystreetthatinvolvesincludingmigrantsinthesocioeconomicandsocioculturalrealityofthehostsocietyandtheadjustmentofthehostsocietytothefactthatitisbecomingobjectivelymorediverseduetotheinfluxofmigrants.

Theconditionsformigrantintegrationarecreatedprimarilybythehoststateandsociety.Theonlywaytocreateanatmospherethatmakesitpossibleformigrantsandsocietytointeracteffectivelyisifthehoststatetakesrealstepstoguaranteetherightofmigrants,fightdiscriminationandmargin-alization,worktopreventshadowemploymentandtheexploitationofmigrantsandtheirexclusionfromsociety.Thestateshouldsimultaneouslypromoteatolerantattitudetowardsmigrantsamongthelocalpopulation,publiclyacknowledgingtherolethattheyplayinthecountry’seconomy,andexplainingthespecificmotivesbehindthestate’smigrationpolicy.


1. By 2025,theconceptualframeworkofastatepolicyonmigrantadjustmentandintegrationshouldbedevelopedwiththeparticipationofrelevantexperts(membersoftheacademiccommunity,employerassociations,internationalandhumanrightsorganizations)andtakingintoaccounttheexperienceofothercountries,aswellasRussia’shistoryasamulti-ethnicandmultidenominationalstate.

2. By 2025,anoutlineofastatepolicyonmigrantadjustmentandintegrationshouldbedevelopedfor various categories of migrants in Russia (permanent residence; temporary employment;migrantsfromvariousage,gender,ethnic,denominationalgroups;childrenofmigrants;migrantswhospeakRussian;migrantswhodonotspeakRussian,etc.).Thisshouldbefollowedbytheestablishment of an infrastructure that creates the conditions for integrating migrants fromvariousgroupsinaccordancewiththeoutline.

3. Amigrantintegrationpolicyshouldbebuiltuponasolidinformationfoundation.Forthispurpose,thesetofstatisticalindicatorsrelatedtomigrantsandmigrationshouldbeexpandedby 2025:indicatorsofmigrantintegrationshouldbedeveloped;regularsurveysshouldbeconducted;andthemeasurestakenshouldbemonitored.Assessingtheprogressofmigrantintegration(orlackthereof)anditsdepthforvariousgroupsofmigrantsrequiresinformationonafairlyextensivelistofindicatorsthatcharacterizethedegreeofmigrants’involvementinvariousareasofpubliclifeandacomparativeanalysisofthesituationofthelocalpopulationandmigrantsinsuchkeyareasaslabourmarketposition,accesstoeducation,participationinthepublicandpoliticallife,counteractingdiscrimination,etc.Globally,about30states(EUcountries,Norway,Switzerland,theUnitedStatesandCanada)calculatetheseindicatorsusingMIPEX(MigrantIntegrationPolicyIndex), which allows for a relatively objective assessment of the national policy of promotingmigrantintegrationandmakesitpossibletocarryoutacomparativeanalysis18.

18HuddlestonT.,NiessenJ.,EadaoinNiChaoimh,WhiteE.(2011)MigrantIntegrationPolicyIndexIII.TheBritishCouncilandMigrationPolicyGroup—Brussels.

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4. Itisnecessarytoactivelyinvolvecivilsocietyinstitutionsintheprocessofcarryingoutthepolicyof adjustment and integration of migrants (diasporas and migrant, religious, human rightsorganizations)which,duetothespecificsoftheirwork,provetobefarmoreaptthanthestatetocarryoutdaily,painstakingworkwithmigrants.Todeveloptheconceptualframeworkofsuchcooperation,itisnecessaryin the immediate futuretolaunchacademicresearchintotheroleofdiasporasandotherethniccommunitiesofmigrantsinthesocialstructureofRussiansocietyandintothedegreetowhichtheyareinvolvedinhelpingtheircompatriotsadjustandintegrate.Thefunctionofestablishingunofficialcontactsbetweenthelocalsandmigrantsshouldbedelegatedtoeducational,publicandcommercialorganizations.ThesecontactscouldassumesuchformsasRussianlanguagecourses,communitycentres,children’sartsgroups,folkcelebrations,etc.

5. InordertoensurethatRussiansocietyadjuststotheobjectiveincreaseofmigrantsenteringthecountry, it is necessary in the immediate future to start developing regional programmes forharmonizinginterethnicandinterculturalrelations,preventingxenophobiaandfosteringtolerance.Educational and public organizations and cultural institutions (theatres, museums, particularlyregionalstudiesmuseums)shouldalsobeinvolvedinthiswork.EstablishingamigrationmuseuminRussiacouldbecomeanimportantstep,settingthetonefortheadjustmentofRussiansocietyto migrants and performing an important educational function. Such museums exist in manycountrieswithlargemigrantpopulations.

6. By 2025,thePresidentialCouncilfor InterethnicRelationsshould launchthedevelopmentofastate federal programme for promoting migrant adjustment and integration. Measures takencurrentlytoimplementRussia’sNationalPolicyStrategythroughto2025donottouchupontheissueofmigrantadjustmentandintegration.

7. InstitutionalprovisionsforthepolicytohelpmigrantsadjusttoandintegrateintoRussiansocietyshouldbedevelopedby2025.TheGeneralAdministrationforMigrationIssuesoftheMinistryoftheInterioroftheRussianFederationwillhardlybecapableofdevelopingandimplementingthisareaofmigrationpolicy.TheAdministrationforPromotingMigrantIntegrationestablishedin2011undertheauspicesof theFederalMigrationServiceofRussiafailedto launchwork inthisarea,andin2014,theAdministrationwasdissolved.TheFederalAgencyforEthnicAffairsisfocusedsolelyondomesticethnicpolicies,protectingtherightsofethnicminoritiesandsmallindigenous peoples, and preventing ethnic and religious extremism, so issues of integratinginternationalmigrantsremainoutsidethescopeoftheagency.Thus,therelevanceofdevelopingand implementing the state policy of migrant adjustment and integration raises the issueof the need to establish a single federal civil agency responsible for comprehensive migrationmanagement,wherethisareaofmigrationwouldholdaproperplace.

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Establishing a reliable information base as a foundation for developing migration policy.

Argument

Theindisputablefactthatanydecisionsmademustbebasedonin-depthknowledgeofthemigrationprocessestakingplaceinacountry,theirscale,structureandconsequencesfortheeconomyandsocietyisacrucialprerequisiteofaneffectivemigrationpolicythatisinlinewiththeinterestsofthehoststateandsociety.Thisimpliescollectingstatisticaldataonabroadrangeofcharacteristicsonthedemographics,occupations,skillsandother attributes of migrants, as well as conducting academic research based on thisinformation.

InRussiainparticular,thequalityofmigrationstatisticsremainsexceedinglylow.Thelackofaclearlyarticulatedtimecriterionforregistrationmakesitdifficulttodistinguishbetweenpermanentandtemporarymigration.Thesummarydatathatisavailabledoeslittle in the way of combining several attributes in order to create a comprehensive

“profile” of migrants. Statistics on granting citizenship and permanent and temporaryresidencepermitsareonlyavailablebycountryoforigin(citizenship),whilethereisnodataongender,ageorthesocioeconomicattributesofthesegroupsofmigrants.Existingmethodologiesdonotallowadequatedataonseasonalmigrationtobeobtained.

The2011decisiontoamendthecriterionforcategorizingforeignnationalsarrivinginRussiaaspermanentorlong-timemigrantsfrom“12monthsormore”to“9monthsormore”isperplexing.Asaresult,multipletemporarymigrantworkerswerecategorizedas“permanentmigrants”;demographicstatisticsusuallytreatthelattercategoryasthesourceofchangesinthenumberofpermanentpopulation.Asaresult,re-categorizationutterlydistortedthepictureofpermanentmigration.

Asfortemporarymigrantworkers,statisticsforthiscategoryofinternationalmigrantsarebasedonlyonthenumberofworkpermitsissuedinRussiaperyear.Thedistinctionbetween work permits issued to foreign nationals for the first time and renewed/reissuedpermitsisnotdrawn,whichinevitablyresultsinpeoplebeingcountedtwice.Thereisnodataonthenumberofworkingforeignnationals,thesectorstheyworkin,

11.

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theireducationandskills,ortheageandgendermakeup.Thereisalsoalackoffederalandregionaldataonthedurationoftheirstay.

Onecannothelpbutagreewiththeauthorsofthe“ConceptoftheStateMigrationPolicyoftheRussian Federation until 2025: Declared Plans and Reality” report prepared in 2015 by the CivilInitiativeCommittee,whostatethat,“AdministrativestatisticsonmigrantcountmaintainedbytheFederalMigrationServiceofRussiareflecttheresultsoftheService’sworkratherthanthemigrationsituation.”

Thisexplainstheabsenceofseriouseconomicresearchonlabourmigration,sincesuchworkrequiresdetaileddata.Andthestatehasnointerestinsuchresearch.Studiesthatarebeingdonewiththeviewtofollowingthetrendsinthedevelopmentofthemigrationsituation,establishingpatternsandconstructingprospectivescenarios,arebasedprimarilyonscantaggregatedofficialstatisticsthatessentiallydistort thepicture.Givensuchcircumstances,wecanhardlyexpectRussia’smigrationpolicy to be well-founded and developed. The numerous amendments and adjustments madefollowingthepassingofnewregulatoryactsonmigrationindirectlyconfirmthis19.

Thelackofwell-oiledandproperinformationsourcesthatcancharacterizethedynamicsofmigrationsituationinRussiaisalsoanobstacleformonitoringtheresultsoftheadoptedamendmentstothemigrationlegislation.Theconsequencesofmigrationreformsremainunexploredandunperceived,andthisisoneofthereasonsforthecurrentconvolutedandcontradictorymigrationlegislation.Thislargelyexplainsthelackofaclearconceptualarticulationofthemigrationpolicyanditsinconsistency.


1. By 2025,therangeofdemographic,socioeconomic,occupationalandskill-basedcharacteristicsofmigrantscollectedandpublishedbystatisticalagenciestoserveasinformationfoundationforconductingacademic research into thecurrentmigrationsituationand the roleofmigrants inRussia’sdevelopmentshouldbeexpanded.

2. By 2025,migrationstatisticsshouldbemademaximallyopenandaccessiblesothatthedatacanbeusedbyacademics,universityinstructorsandstudentsspecializinginstudyingmigrationandmigrationmanagement.

3. In the immediate future,multi-facetedacademicresearchintomigrationwithaviewtodeterminingtheroleandplaceofmigrantsintheRussianeconomyandthedegreeoftheirintegrationintoRussiansocietyandparticipation inpopulation reproductionshouldbe launched. Inparticular,a well-founded academic paper on the place of migration in Russia’s future economic anddemographicdevelopmentcouldcontaineconomic,demographicandpoliticalscenariosofthecountry’sdevelopmentwithoutmigration,aswellasaconcreteanalysisoftherealpossibilities

19ChudinovskikhO.S.LaborMigrationStatisticsintheMIRPALNetworkCountries.Moscow,2011,pp.6–7

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ofcompensatingforlabourshortagesthroughareformoftheemploymentstructure,increasingproductivityandconductinganactiveinternalmigrationpolicy.Thepaper’sconclusionsshouldserveasthefoundationforasystemofdecision-makinginimprovingandachievingtheconceptualunityofmigrationmanagementinRussia.

Whatismore,suchapapercouldbepresentedtothegeneralpublicandpromotedbythemediaastheconceptualfoundationofRussia’smigrationpolicy.Russianpeopleshouldunderstandthatsince theyare innohurry tohavechildrenanddonotwant towork in jobs theydeemtobe

“beneath” them,theyshouldthankfullyacceptmigrantswhoarewillingtodothose jobs.Andif therearenomigrants,priceswillgoup,pensionswillgodownand the retirementagewillincrease.

4. It isnecessary toputanend immediately to thepracticeof “tinkering”withstatisticaldata tofit the established goals (as was the case with changing the criterion for defining “long-term”migrants,whoaretreatedasameansofreplenishingpermanentpopulation),whichconfusestherealmigrationpicture.

5. By 2025, a state programme for improving the information and analytical basis for migrationpolicyshouldbedeveloped;thepolicyshouldbegearedtowardimprovingthesystemofcollectinginformationaboutmigrantsanddetailingmigrationstatisticsusingvariousinformationsources:censusdata,currentrecords,clustersampling,etc.,andshapingastatedemandforacademicresearchintomigration.

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Strengthening the economic component of the strategy to combat illegal migration.

Argument

ThefightagainstillegalmigrationhasbeenpositedasaprioritygoalofRussia’smigra-tionpolicyforalongtimenow.However,assessmentsshowthatinsteadofshrinking,illegalmigrationhasgrowninrecentyears.

Variousmeasureshavebeenproposedforcombatting illegalmigration,frommakingmigrationregulationmorerigidtolegalizingthestatusofallillegallyemployedmigrants.Suchextrememeasuresareequallyineffective.Globalmigrationexperienceprovesthattighteningthemigrationregimeandnarrowingthechannelsforlegalemploymentre-sultinincreasedillegalemployment.Russiahasalreadygonethroughthisphaseduringperiodsoftightenedmigrationrulesforforeignworkers.Ontheotherhand,theideaoflegalizingallmigrantworkersinRussiaproposedbysomeexpertsappearsdubious,because ifmanyRussianemployers(particularly smallandmedium-sizedbusinesses)areforcedtohireforeignworkerslegally,withsubsequentsocialcontributionpayments,theywilllosethecompetitiveedgeaffordedtothembythefactthattheysavemoneybyhiringworkers illegally.Thus,even if theyaregranted legalstatus inRussia,manymigrantswillstillbeemployedillegally,sincetheywillbeofferednothingelse.

The most effective measures for fighting illegal migration and employment are wellknown—predominantlyeconomicstepsthatinvolveinstitutingsimpleandtransparentrulesandproceduresforhiringandusingforeignworkers,eliminatingshadowpracticesofformalizinglabourrelations,increasingpenaltiesimposedonemployersforillegallyhiringforeignworkers,includingcriminalliabilityforcasesoflabourslaveryandhumantrafficking.Asweepingattackbythestateontheshadoweconomy(bringingconstruc-tion, theservices industry,housingandutilitiesoutsidetheshadoweconomy)wouldresultinmigrantsleavingshadoweconomy,sincetheyareconcentratedinthoseareas.

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Recommendations on implementation1. By 2025, a new conceptual understanding of the fight against illegal migration involving

administrativeandeconomicmeasuresshouldbedeveloped.GivenRussia’slarge-scaleshadowlabourmarket,migrationpolicyisincapableofindependentlysolvingtheproblemofunregisteredemployment of migrants. It may become only an additional instrument in the overall statestrategyof legalizing theeconomy(sucha strategywould involve:administrativemeasures tosuppressshadowentrepreneurshipandillegalemployment;thecreationoffavourableconditionsforentrepreneurship;loweringadministrativepressureonlegalbusinesses;protectionofcompanyagainst encroachment by organized criminal elements and dishonest governmental officials;assistanceinlendingtobusinesses;theeliminationofthesystemofcashgrabsandextortioninallitsforms;supportforsmallandmedium-sizedbusiness;thecreationofasystemofbusinessincubators, etc.)20. As regards migration policy, such a state strategy could be complementedwith:transparentproceduresforhiringforeignworkersthatareunderstandablebothtomigrantsandemployers;decreasingadministrativehurdlesinobtainingworkpermitsinRussia;monitoringcompliancewithmigrationandlabourlegislation.

2. EnsuringprotectionofrightsofforeignentrepreneursdoingbusinessinRussiatopreventtheirinvolvementintheshadowandcriminaleconomy.

3. To uncover cases of forced labour, slavery and human trafficking for the purposes of labourexploitation.Migrants,bothinternalandinternational,whocametolookforworkandhavenorecoursetoofficialemploymentservices,headhuntingagenciesandinformationandconsultationservicesformigrantsarethemostfrequentvictimsofsuchcrimes.

4. By 2025,instrumentsshouldbedevelopedtostoptheactivitiespfcriminalethnicintermediarygroups that build their “business” on the promotion of illegal migration and the unofficialemploymentofmigrants.

5. By 2025,anetworkofofficialservicesformigrantsprovidinginformationonlegalemploymentopportunitiesinRussia,existingvacanciesandtherisksofunregisteredemploymentshouldbeestablished.

6. By involving labour inspectorates, Russia should ensure the implementation of such principlesasequalpayfor thesameworkforRussianandforeignworkers.Thisprinciple isenshrined inthe Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, SocialandCulturalRightsandat thenational level, inarticle132of theLabourCodeof theRussianFederation.InorderforlabourinspectoratestoprotecttheworkingrightsofbothRussiancitizensandforeignnationals,itisnecessary,tointroduceappropriateamendmentsintothefederalandregionallegislationby 2025.

20LatovY.V.,KovalevC.N.ShadowEconomy.UniversityTextbook.Moscow:Norma,2006.

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Simplifying academic mobility procedures and educational migration.

Argument

Inthecontextoftheongoingglobalizationofacademiaandhighereducation,academicmobilitybecomesanimportantfactorinimprovingthequalityofteachingandresearch.Attracting foreign faculty and researchers could boost the innovative development ofRussia’seconomy,stimulatetheadvancementofhightechnologiesandaffordRussianstudentstheopportunitytolearnadvancedproductionmanagementandorganizationmethods.

SincethenumberofRussianstudentsisfallingduetodemographicfactors,developingeducationalmigrationintoRussiaandattractingforeignstudentstoRussianuniversitiesisanimportantpracticaltask.Thenumberofforeignstudentsisgrowing,butatpresent,theymakeuplessthan5percentoftheoverallfigure.Meanwhile,foreigngraduatesofRussianuniversitieswhohavealreadybeenintegratedintoRussiansocietyandpossessskillsthatareindemandontheRussianlabourmarketareapromisingdemographicandlabourresource,providedthatfavourableconditionsarecreatedforthemtoremaininthecountryaspermanentresidents.

Whatismore,attractingforeignstudentsfromCIScountriestoRussianuniversitiesmaybeviewedasinvestinginthehumancapitalofthesepartnercountries.Suchaninvestmenthas both an economic (training personnel for developing the national economies ofCIScountries)andapoliticaldimension(what isnowcalled“softpower”, capableofbolsteringRussia’spoliticalpositionsintheregion)


1. Certainstepshavealreadybeentakentowardscreatingspecialconditionsforattractingfacultyandresearcherswithintheframeworkofcreatingamigrationchannelforhighlyskilledprofessionals.Thisareashouldbedevelopedfurthertomakeobtainingresidenceandworkpermitsforthiscategoryofmigrantsandtheirfamiliesaseasyaspossible,andtosubsidizeuniversitiesandresearchcentresthathireforeignfacultyandresearchers.

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2. Similarly, in the immediate future,aspecialchannelshouldbesetupforforeignstudentsarrivinginRussiatostudyatahighereducationinstitution.Regulationofthearrival,stay,educationandemploymentofeducationalmigrants,particularlyfromCIScountries,shouldproceedfromthestate’sgreaterinterestinmaximallyincreasingofthenumberofthesemigrantsinRussia.

3. By 2025, attracting foreign nationals to Russian vocational colleges to train skilled personnelforblue-collarjobsontheRussianlabourmarketshouldbecomepartofthepolicyofexportingeducational services. Given the falling numbers of Russian nationals enrolling in vocationalcolleges, attracting foreign nationals (who either pay tuition or take out student loans) couldbecomeasourceofadditionalrevenuesforcolleges.Inaddition,suchapolicycouldbeviewedasaninstrumentof“softpower”thatincreasesRussia’sinfluenceintheregionandpromotesthestabledevelopmentofthatregion.

4. Astateprogrammeforexpandingtheexportofeducationalservicesandpromotingeducationalmigration into Russia should be developed and set up in collaboration with the Ministry ofEducationandScienceoftheRussianFederationby 2035.Theprogrammeshouldaimtocreatethe most favourable conditions for attracting foreign students to Russian universities, expandinformationandadvertisingcampaignsonstudyinginRussia,setthestagefortheadjustmentandintegrationofforeignstudents,andmakeitpossibleforthemtoobtainresidencepermitsandRussiancitizenshipuponthecompletionoftheirstudies.

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Implementation of migration policy should be accompanied by an extensive awareness-raising campaign.

Argument

Shapingasatisfactorypsychologicalclimateinsocietyshouldbeanimportantele-mentinmigrationmanagement.Migrationpolicyshouldbeunderstandableandthelocalpopulationshouldifnotendorsethenatleastunderstandit.

Nevertheless,overthelast15–20years,severalfactorshavecausedRussiatobecomepermeatedwithanti-migrantsentiments(therapidgrowthofmigrationintoRussia;theobjectiveincreaseintheethnicgapsbetweennativeRussiansandmigrants;theignoringofpoliciesformigrantadjustmentandintegration;increasedillegalmigra-tionduetomisjudgementsinmigrationpolicy;society’slackofunderstandingoftheobjectiveroleofmigrationforRussia’sdevelopment;andcertainpublicfiguresandmedia inciting xenophobia, ethnic animosity and racial superiority). Surveys showthathalfoftheRussianpopulationsupportsthenationalisticideaof“RussiaforRus-sians!” and 75 per cent of the population support a severely restrictive migrationpolicy21.

Against this background, constructing a relatively liberal migration policy that ac-cordswiththeinterestsofRussia’sdemographicandeconomicdevelopmentisverydifficult.Russia’sinterestinattractingmigrantsaspermanentresidentstooffsetun-favourabledemographictrendsandinattractingtemporarymigrantworkerstooff-setthelabourshortageshouldbethetopicofanextensiveawareness-raisingcam-paign intendedtofostertolerance,especiallywhentheethnicstructureofsocietyencountersthechallengeofgrowingethnicdiversity.

ThestateshouldconveythecrucialmessagementionedaboveSection2.1tosoci-ety—namely,thatmigrantsareobjectivelyanecessarypartofRussian life.Beingbuttressed by appropriate regulatory acts on migration, that message will ensureabalanceofinterestsbetweenRussiancitizensandmigrants.Suchamessagewill

21According to Levada Center data. Survey conducted in August 2016: http://www.levada.ru/2016/10/11/intolerantnost-i-ksenofobiya/

14.

http://www.levada.ru/2016/10/11/intolerantnost-i-ksenofobiya/


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createconditionsforreducinganti-immigrantsentimentsandincreasingtheintegrationpotentialofsociety,aswellasforthepopulationtoacceptthestrategicmeasuresenshrinedinthestate’smigra-tionpolicy.


1. In the nearest future, the state should launch an extensive federal campaign to eliminatexenophobiaanddelegatesomeoftheactivitiesof integratingmigrantsandguaranteeingtheirrightstonon-governmentalorganizationsandcivilsocietyinstitutions.

2. TheinformationcampaignthataccompaniesthemigrationpolicyshouldbecomeanintegralpartoftheworkperformedbytheGeneralAdministrationforMigrationIssuesoftheMinistryoftheInterioroftheRussianFederation(orotherfederalexecutiveauthoritychargedwithimplementingmigration policy), thereby ensuring the transparency, logic and complementarity of decisionsmadeandalsoensuringthepopulation’sawarenessofthegoalsthatthesedecisionspursue.

3. Whenmakingstatementsforthemediaorattendingvariouspublicevents(conferences,roundtables,meetingwiththepublic),publicofficialsshouldbroadcasttotheRussianpopulationthestrategicvisionof thepositiverole thatmigrationplays inRussia’sdemographicandeconomicdevelopment.Thiswillhelppreventtheemergenceofnegativemythsaboutmigrants(“migrantstakeRussians’jobs”,“migrantsdrivewagesdown”,etc.),whichhavebeenconsistentlydisprovedbyresearch.

4. By 2025,politiciansandofficialsshouldbeheldadministrativelyliableforspreading“fakenews”aboutmigrationandmigrants,stressingthetopicsofcriminalactivityandethniccrime,whichhasanegativeeffectonthepublicopinionofmigrants.

5. Awarenesscampaignslaunchedinthemediashouldaimtomakemigrationpolicyunderstandableandtogain,ifnotsupport,thenatleastunderstandingonthepartofthepopulation.“Itisthejobofgovernmentstocreateamorepositiveatmosphereinwhichmigrationpolicymattersmaybediscussedbyleadingratherthanfollowingpublicopinion22.”Explainingwhymigrantsarrive,the role they play in the Russian economy, and that they, as a rule, take jobs Russian citizensdonotwant,couldshapeamorepositivepublicopinionofthem.ItshouldbeexplainedtothepopulationthatmigrantlabourmakesitpossibleforthestatetopaypensionstoRussianretirees,andthemoneymigrantstakeoutofRussiaisfarlessthanthevaluetheygeneratebyworkingintheRussianeconomy;andsometimes,suchanexplanationismoreeffectiveinfosteringtolerancethanethnicfestivals.

22TowardaMigrationManagementStrategy.CouncilofEurope.Strasbourg,2002,p.16

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Developing a public-private partnership in migration management.

Argument

Migrationpolicyisnotjusttheprerogativeofthestate,althoughastate’sdeclaredpolicyonthemigrationmodelitwantstoshapedoesholdcrucialsignificance.Togetherwiththestate,theexpertcommunity,business(associationsofemployersthathireforeignworkers,privateemploymentagencies,etc.),NGOs(humanrightsorganizations,informationandconsultingservices,tradeunions,migrantassociations,etc.),diasporas,themedia,andtoacertaindegreeinternationalorganizationsofferingtheirexperienceandaidarealsosubjectsofmigrationpolicy.Ifastate’sleadersandsocietyclearlyunderstandthemeansforprovidingandusingthepositivepotentialthatmigrationcanhave,thencooperationbetweenallthesubjectslistedcouldensurealogicalandeffectivemigrationpolicy.

Thestatedevelopsstrategicgoalsofmigrationpoliciestiedtootherstatepoliciesandensures their implementation by creating the appropriate legislative and institutionalfoundations. At the same time, the state may delegate some of the functions ofimplementing specific migration policy tasks to interested and competent public andprivatebodieswhilemonitoringtheiractivitiesforcompliancewiththepositedgoals.


1. In order to improve the mechanisms for attracting foreign workers, employerassociations should, in collaboration with research bodies, be charged withmonitoringandforecastingthesituationthatemerges inhiringforeignworkers inRussiaandassessingtheRussianmarket’sdemandforadditionallabourresources.

2. By2025,implementingthepolicyformigrantadjustmentandintegrationshouldbedelegated to local self-governance bodies. Regional programmes for harmonizinginter-ethnic and inter-cultural relations, preventing manifestations of xenophobia,fosteringtolerancebyinvolvingwidecirclesofexpertsinsociology,politicalscienceandethnography,aswellasmembersofeducationalandpublicorganizations,shouldbedeveloped.Asystemofstatefinancialsupportforpublicinstitutionsparticipatinginimplementingmigrantadjustmentandintegrationpolicyshouldbedeveloped.

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3. By 2025,businessstructures,privateemploymentagenciesandnon-profitorganizationsshouldbeinvolvedindevelopinganofficialinfrastructureforpromotinglabourmigration(informationservices for migrants containing data on: employment options in Russia; the rules for stayingin Russia, renting or buying a home, obtaining an education and receiving medical care; howmigrantscanprotect their rights,etc.). Joint initiativesof theRussianstateandbusiness,suchas creating migrant labour exchanges, migration “terminals” and “bridges”, concluding directcontracts between large Russian enterprises and migrants’ countries of origin, etc., should bepromoted.Suchbodieswillmakefindingeachotherfastandeasyforbothemployersandworkers.

4. In the immediate future, the hiring of foreign workers should be carried out in a systematicmannerinaccordancewiththedemandofRussianenterprisesforspecificprofessionsandskills.Whilestillintheirhomecountry,futuremigrantworkerswouldclearlydeterminewhere,inwhatcapacity,andonwhattermstheywillbeworkinginRussia.ThisformofimportingforeignlabourimpliesthejointparticipationofthestateandentrepreneurialbodiesbothinRussiaandinthemigrants’homecountries,concludingtheappropriatebilateralagreementsandemployingprivateemploymentagencies.

5. By 2025,RussianbusinessshouldhavedevelopedtheabilitytoshapeasystemofprofessionaltrainingformigrantworkersininaccordancewiththedemandofRussianenterprisesforspecificprofessionsandskills.

6. By 2025,theexpertcommunity,internationalorganization,andnon-profitfoundationsshouldbeinvolvedinestablishinganacademicassessmentinstitutionforin-developmentadministrativedecisionsandboostingtheanti-corruptionassessmentofmigrationlegislation.

7. Todecreasethescaleofunregisteredmigration,by 2035,programmesforpre-entrytrainingofmigrantsshouldbedeveloped;NGOs inmigrants’countriesoforiginshouldbegiventhetaskof offering information and education courses for potential migrants in order to inform themoftheprincipalrightsandobligationsofforeignworkersinRussiatopreventtherisksofillegalemployment and falsified documents, and to decrease the risks of illegal employment, forcedlabourandhumantrafficking.

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Developing international cooperation to optimize migration processes.

Argument

Inessence,internationalmigrationisaprocessthatinvolvestheinterestsofboththedestinationcountriesandcountriesoforigin.Historically,destinationcountrieswerethefirsttolaunchmigrationmanagement,eithertoencourageortolimitit.However,sincethelate20thcentury,countriesoforiginhavebeenincreasinglyinterestedinparticipatinginmigrationmanagement.Theirinterestislargelylinkedtoguarantee-ingmigrants’rights,theirlegalemploymentinhostcountriesandtherebyensuringsteadyearningsandagrowingvolumeofremittancestomigrants’homelands.Ithasbeengloballyrecognizedthatbilateralandmultilateralcooperationamongdestina-tioncountriesandcountriesoforiginisanimportantprerequisiteforthesuccessfulmanagementoftransnationalmigration.Thisglobaltrendisclearlymanifestedinthepost-Sovietregion.Regulatingprocessesrelatedtointernationallabourmigrationistheobjectofbilateralandmultilateralcooperationbetweenhostcountriesandcoun-triesoforigin.Fightingthemostpressingproblemslinkedtointernationalmigration(thespreadofillegalmigration,transnationalorganizedcrime,humantrafficking)isthemostwell-developedareaofmigrationcooperation.

For Russia, the CIS countries are priority partners in inter-governmental migrationcooperation; theyareRussia’sprincipalmigrationdonorsaswellas itsgeopoliticalpartners in developing regional integration. In the 2000s, international migrationcooperation between the CIS countries was stepped up, which testifies to mutualunderstandingof thesignificanceof international labourmigrationasa long-termfactorinthedevelopmentoftheregion,aswellastothedesiretomakemaximumuseofthemigrationpotential,inparticular,throughitsregulation.ItisimportanttounderstandthattheconsistentlyconstructivestancethattheCIScountriestakeonmigrationcooperationwilllargelydeterminethefutureofintegrationinthepost-So-vietspace.

Implementing the idea of a single labour market within the EAEU results from anunderstandingoftherolethatlabourmigrationplaysforthecountriesintheregion.

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FreedomofmovementandemploymentforcitizensoftheEAEUmembercountrieswillserveasanimportantincentiveforotherstatestojointhisregionalintegrationstructure.


1. Thepracticeofconcludingbilateral partnershipswiththeprincipalcountriesthatsupplylabourtoRussiashouldbedeveloped.By2035,existingbilateralinternationalagreementswithCentralAsiancountriesonlabourandtheprotectionoftherightsofmigrantworkersshouldbemadeintoworkingmechanismsforoptimizingmigrationprocesses23.Thiscanbedonebymakingthemmorespecific, supplementing themwithagreementsconcludedwithRussia’s regions,and involvingprivateemploymentagenciesintheirimplementation,developingasystemformonitoringandcontrollingthepracticalimplementationofagreements24.

2. By 2035, therangeofmultilateralcooperationonmigrationwithpost-Sovietstatesshouldbeexpanded.Currently,suchcooperationisfocusedlargelyonfightingillegalmigration(withintheCSTOandtheCIS).Improvingmigrationstatistics;providingprofessionalandlanguagetrainingfor migrants both in their home countries and in Russia; recognizing professional educationdiplomas and certificates; guaranteeing migrants’ rights, including the provision of pensions;readmission; and fighting illegal migration and human trafficking. All of these could becomecruciallyimportantareas of inter-governmental cooperation.CoordinatingmigrationpoliciesbetweenCISmemberstatescouldpromotethedevelopmentofmutuallyacceptablemechanismsforoptimizingmigrationandtherebycontributetothestabledevelopmentoftheentireregion.

3. Atthenon-governmentallevel,itwouldbewisetodeveloparegional consultationsprocess withinthepost-Sovietspaceby 2035asanunofficialforumofthestatesconcerned;suchaforumwouldserveasapermanentplatformandcomprisemembersofthegovernments,thebusinesscommunity, civil society institutions and experts. The purpose of the consultations processwouldbetoachieveaconsensusintheunderstandingofmigrationinterlinkingthepost-Sovietspace, providing aid to governments in improving the mechanisms of migration managementanddevelopingtheprospectsofmigrationcooperationandtheexchangeofinformation,ideasandpositiveexperiences in internationalmigration.Theconsultationsprocessshould focusonidentifying common interests and problems in such areas as the contribution that migrationmakes to the economic development of participating states, developing the common labourmarket, guaranteeing migrants’ rights, establishing the migration infrastructure, and fightingillegalmigrationandhumantrafficking.

4. By 2025,theoutlineofprivate-public and social-public partnershipsinthedevelopmentofcooperationbetweenRussiaandtheprincipalmigrantdonorcountriestooffervocationalguidance

23Specifically,Russiahasbilateral inter-governmentalagreementson labourmigrationwithTajikistan(2004)andUz-bekistan(2007).

24HandbookonEstablishingEffectiveLabourMigrationPoliciesinCountriesofOriginandDestination.OSCE,IOM,ILO,2006:http://www.osce.org/secretariat/19242

http://www.osce.org/secretariat/19242

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tomigrantsintheregionandsetupasystemofprofessional,languageandcareerdevelopmenttraining in countries of origin and the development and implementation of programmes forprovidingpre-departure informationandeducationalcourses forpotentialmigrantsshouldbeworkedout.

5. Further legislative development of the single labour market model within the EAEU shouldbeguaranteed.Theappropriatesupra-nationalstructurewithintheEAEUforregulatinglabourmigration issuesanddevelopingthesingle labourmarketshouldbeestablished.DiscrepanciesbetweenSectionXXVI(“LabourMigration”)oftheTreatyontheEurasianEconomicUnionandtheprovisionsoftheRussianmigrationlegislationwithregardtograntingcitizensofthememberstates legal status during their stay and employment in Russia should be eliminated. ThesediscrepanciesprimarilymakeitmoredifficultforRussianemployerstohireworkersfromArmenia,KazakhstanandKyrgyzstan;employersthereforeriskbeingfinedforviolatingtherulesforhiringforeignworkers.

6. Long-term,stepsshouldbetakentodevelop inter-governmentalmigrationcooperationwithinBRICS.ThefoundationsforthiswerelaidatthemeetingoftheheadsofthemigrationagenciesinOctober2015.ThedeclarativenatureofsuchcooperationmayverywelltransitionintopracticalapplicationgiventhatthedrasticallydifferentdemographicsituationsintheBRICScountriescouldserveasadriverforformingmigrationflowsbetweenmemberstates.Forinstance,itwouldmakesensetohiremigrantworkersfromIndiatoworkinareaswhereIndiahasgainedaworld-classreputation,suchasITandsoftwareandthemedicalprofession.

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Ensuring the Consistency of Russia’s Economic and Geopolitical Interests in the Implementation of Its Migration Interaction with CIS Countries.

Argument

Russia’shistoricaltieswithotherformerSovietstatesanditsfocusonthedevelopmentof political and economic integration in the region leaves a significant mark on theformationofthecountry’smigrationstrategy.ThevastmajorityofmigrantstoRussiacome from the CIS countries, which at the same time are Russia’s main allies andpartners in regional integration. In this regard, itwouldseemthatRussia’smigrationinteractionwiththeformerSovietrepublicsshouldbespecialinnature,whichisthecasewith its economic and political interaction with these countries. The policy to attractqualifiedspecialistsfromtheCIScountriestoRussiaactuallyweakenstheeconomiesoftheformerSovietstates.Furthermore,itconsolidatestheirbackwardnessandwidensthegapintermsofthelevelofthesocioeconomicdevelopmentofthecountriesintheregion.Atthesametime,thepossibilityforCIScitizenstoworkandearnmoneyinRussiaisanimportantconditionformaintainingsocialstabilityintheregionandstrengtheninginter-stateregionalintegration—andRussiahasplacedasignificantstakeinthis.

Russia’sgeopoliticalinterestseffectivelynarrowthedecision-makingchannelsintermsofmigration,astheygivepreferencetosatisfyingthejointinterestsofcountries.Theseinterestspresupposetheexistenceofmultiplechannelsoflegallabourmigrationintheregion forvariouscategoriesofmigrants,and that jointeffortsarebeingexertedbystatestomaximizetheuseofqualifiedmigrants,ensuretheirlabourandsocialrights,andcounteract illegalmigrant labour.Russia isconcernedaboutensuringthat labourmigrationfromotherCIScountriesdoesnotweakentheeconomiesofdonorcountries;on the contrary, it wants migrants to become a resource for further development —migrantremittancestotheirhomecountries“work”intermsofmaintainingthestandardoflivinginthesecountries,andthenewskillsandprofessionalexperienceacquiredbymigrantsduringtheir time inRussiahelpto increasetheir“economicpotential”uponreturninghome.

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Recommendations on implementation1. EnsurethatRussia’smigrationstrategyisconsistentwithitsforeignpolicystrategyup to 2025

(theConceptoftheForeignPolicyoftheRussianFederationapprovedin2016),apriorityareaofwhichistodevelopcooperationwithCISmembercountriesandfurtherstrengthenexistingintegrationstructuresinthepost-Sovietspace.

2. In the long term,assistmigrants’homecountriesinconvertingtheprocessesoflabourmigrationto Russia into a resource for strengthening their socioeconomic development (reintegratingmigrants returning to their home countries; helping them make use of their newly acquiredprofessionalqualifications,skillsandexperience;makingthemostoftheinvestmentpotentialofremittances; developing small and medium-sized businesses). Stimulating Russian investmentsintotheeconomiesofthesecountriesandcreatingnewjobsthere.

3. ExpandthechannelofeducationmigrationintoRussiafromtheCIScountries,seeingitnotsomuch as a promising resource for replenishing Russia’s demographic and labour potential asaninvestmentinthehumancapitalofitspartnercountries.TrainingpersonnelwiththeaimofdevelopingthenationaleconomiesofCIScountriesisofgreatimportanceintermsofincreasingthesustainabledevelopmentoftheregion.ItalsostrengthensRussia’spoliticalpositionsontheregionalstage.

4. Review before 2025 the policy for allowing refugees — and on a wider scale, humanitarianmigrants—intothecountry.ThisissuegoesbeyondtheframeworkoftheCISregion,butitwillbringimportantforeignpolicydividendsforRussiaintheeventthatacompetentandresponsiblepolicy isdevelopedwithregardtothiscategoryofmigrants.DevelopingaspecialprogrammefortheresettlementofpersonsinneedofasyluminRussiawillhelpraiseRussia’sprofileontheinternationalstageandatthesametimesolvetheeconomicanddemographicgoalsofRussia’smigrationpolicy25.TheflowsofhumanitarianmigrantstoRussiafromthesoutheastregionsofUkrainein2015gaveRussiaachancetodemonstrateitsabilitytocarryouthumanitarianpolicieswith regard forced migrants. On the whole, Russia’s policy on migrants is strongly defensive.Onlyahandfulofmigrantsareaffordedtheopportunitytostay inRussiaandacquireRussiancitizenship.

25Formoreontheeconomicreturnsofallowingrefugeesintoacountry,see:LegrainPhilippe,Refugees’Work:AHu-manitarianInvestmentThatYieldsEconomicDividends.TheTentFoundation.May2016:https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55462dd8e4b0a65de4f3a087/t/573cb9e8ab48de57372771e6/1463597545986/Tent-Open-Refu-gees+Work_VFINAL-singlepages.pdf




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ALTERNATIVE MIGRATION POLICIES

3.

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Russia’sproposedmigrationstrategyimpliestheformationofamodelofstatemigrationpolicythatfocusesonusingthepotentialoninternationalandinternalmigrationtoen-sureboththeshort-andlong-termeconomicandpoliticalinterestsofthecountry’sde-velopment.Thismodelisdesignedtogivestatemigrationpolicyaninternalandensurethatitbecomesaneffectivecomponentofthenationalstrategy,increasestheRussia’sattractivenessasadestinationformigrants,bringsaninfluxofpeopleintothecountry,helpstacklelabourshortageproblemswithoutinfringinguponthelabourrightsofRus-siancitizens,contributestoreducingillegalmigrationandtheillegalemploymentofmi-grants,optimizesinternalmigrationprocesses,helpseliminatecorruption,xenophobiaandintoleranceinRussiansocietyandstrengthenRussia’spositionsasaregionalleaderintheforeignpoliticalarena.

However,thisisnottheonlypossibleroutethatcanbetaken.

Thereisnocommonopinionamongthedecision-makersandtheRussianexpertcom-munityonhowthecountry’sstatemigrationpolicyshoulddevelop,orwhetheritevenmakessensetobuildamigrationstrategyinthefaceofachangingmigrationsituation.In thesecircumstances, the likelihoodofalternativemigrationpolicies—policies thatwouldhaveafundamentallydifferentimpactonRussia’sfuturedevelopment—beingimplementedisextremelyhigh.

ALTERNATIVE POLICY 1 — “INERTIA.” Thispolicyisbasedontheconceptualpostu-latethatisitessentiallypointlesstobuildamigrationstrategy,asmigrationpro-cessesarechangeableandunpredictable.Thestate isallocatedtheroleofcon-troller,thetaskofwhichistoupholdandenforce,usingtheexistingmethods,thelaws on migrants entering, staying and working in the country. Such a scenar-ioassumesthatmigrationpolicywillfollowthemigrationsituationandhavenoclaimstoformingmigrationtrendsthataredesirableforstateandsociety.Thisisinmanyrespectsapolicyof“inertia”,whichconsolidatestheexistingmigrationpolicymodel.Aspartofthisscenario,thestrugglewithmoreseriousissuessuchasthespreadofillegalmigrationandunregisteredmigrantlabouriscarriedoutusing methods that already exist in the power-wielding agencies for the imple-mentationofthemigrationpolicy.Theissueofadaptingandintegratingmigrantswillremainwithinthepurviewoftheirowninterests,withalltheassociatedrisks

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forRussiansociety.Newadministrativebarrierswillbebuilt toobtaining legal statusundervariouscategoriesofmigrantsandtoprovingforeignnationalswithaccesstheRussianlabourmarketunderthepretextofsafeguardingnationalsecurityinterests.

Despiteallthedeclaredeffortstoeliminatecorruption,itwillnotdisappear,asthemaincondi-tionforovercomingitistransparencyandsimplicityoftherulesestablishedformigrants.

TheRussianlabourmarket,whilepreservingtheexistingmodelofattractingforeignworkers,whichallowsfortheexistenceofasignificantsegmentofundocumentedmigrantemployees,isunderthreatofitsstructurebecomingdeformed,itslabourrelationsbeingdegraded,wide-spreaddiscriminationandtheexploitationofworkers.

Arefusaltochooseastrategyintheformationofmigrationpolicyiscounterproductiveinthelongterm:migrationpolicywillinevitablycontinuetobeinconsistent,reactingimpulsivelytonewchallenges,incapableofformingastructureofmigrationflowsandimplementinglong-termnationalpriorities.

ALTERNATIVE POLICY 2 — “DEFENSIVE.”Thispolicyassumesastrictermigrationpolicyforbothpermanentandtemporaryresidents.Thepossibilityofsuchascenarioarisingisallthemorerealnowthattheneedfortoughermigrationcontrolsisrecognizedinmanycountriesthatrou-tinelyacceptmigrants,primarilytheUnitedStatesandEUcountries.Accordingtosociologicalsurveys,threequartersoftheRussianpopulationareinfavourofastrongrestrictivemigrationpolicy, meaning that toughening the migration policy will be welcomed by the populationwithgreaterunderstandingthanpoliciesthatencourageimmigrationandtheflowoflabourmigrants26.

Inpractice,narrowingthechannelsforpermanentandtemporarymigrantstoenterthecoun-trywillhavedevastatingconsequencesforRussia’ssocioeconomicdevelopment:ashortageofworkersintheRussianlabourmarket;adeclineinthecompetitivenessofRussianbusinesses;a slowdown in thecountry’seconomicdevelopment;agrowthofundocumentedmigrantsandillegalemployment.Alabourmarketthatisnotcomplementedbyareasonablenumberofmigrantswillleadtoadrop-offintheRussianpopulation,agrowingdemographicburdenontheworkingpopulation,anarrowedpensionbase,lowerpensionsandahigherretirementage.Restrictingemploymentopportunities inRussiacoulddestabilize thesocialsituation incountriesthatprovidethehighestnumberofmigrantstoRussiaandleadtomassuncontrolledhumanitarianmigrationintothecountry.

TheunacceptabilityofthismigrationstrategytodeliberatelyreducetheflowofmigrantstoRussia,includingandprimarilyfromtheformerSovietcountries,isshapedbyeconomicand

26ThisisaccordingtodatafromtheLevadaCenterobtainedastheresultofasurveyconductedinAugust2016:http://www.levada.ru/2016/10/11/intolerantnost-i-ksenofobiya/ A survey carried out by the Russian Public Opinion Re-searchCentergeneratedalmostexactlythesameresults:https://wciom.ru/index.php?id=236&uid=116061



https://wciom.ru/index.php?id=236&uid=116061

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political short-sightedness. The introduction of a visa regime with CIS countries, which fitsperfectlyintothisscenario,couldhaveextremelynegativeconsequencesforRussiaintermsofforeignpoliticalrelations:CIScountrieswouldlikelyperceivesuchamoveasaviolentde-structionoftraditionaltiesonthepartofRussia,anditcoulddistorteconomicandpoliticalin-tegrationprocessesintheregion.Butintroducingavisaregimeisdifficulttoimplementintheshorttermfromatechnicalpointofview.Thisiswhytighteningtherulesforpermanentandtemporarymigrantswouldmostlikelyhappenthroughcomplicatingtheproceduresforlegal-izingtheirstatusandobtainingthenecessarypermits(whichisessentiallywhatwehavebeenwitnessingoverthepasttwoorthreeyears).Thiswillinevitablyleads(andisalreadyleading!)toanincreaseinunregisteredmigration.Globalmigrationexperiencehasdemonstratedthatmigrant flowsareadaptive— theygainstrengthanddonot stop. Ifadministrativebarriersareputintheirway,theyonlychangetheirform:ifmigrantscannotenteracountryandworktherelegally,thentheywillfindotherwaystogetinandobtainemployment,bypassingthelawsandeffectivelyworkingintheshadoweconomy.

ConcentratingthefunctionsforimplementingmigrationpolicywithintheMinistryofForeignAffairs,whichisalawenforcementagencyonly,increasesthelikelihoodthatRussia’smigra-tionpolicywillcontinuetobecomestricter,whichwasalreadythecasefollowingtheinstitu-tionalreformscarriedoutin2002.

Theoptiontointroduceastrictermigrationpolicy,whichwouldinevitablyleadtoadecreaseinRussia’sattractivenessasadestinationformigrantsfromcitizensoftheformerSovietcoun-tries, a reorientation of migrant flows to other countries and a reduction in the number ofmigrantsenteringRussia,isindirectconflictwiththestrategicinterestsofthecountry,namely,theneedtofindasuitableresponsetothedemographictransformationthatRussiaiscurrentlyundergoinginordertoensureitsfurtherprogressivedevelopment.Migrationisapartofthatresponse.ThisiswhytheverypossibilitythatapointssystemcouldbeintroducedforgrantingpermanentresidentstatustomigrantswishingtoobtainthelegalrighttoremainintheRussianFederationcausesheateddebateswithintheexpertcommunity27.

Insuchascenario,itisnotnecessarytotalkaboutcreatingmoreliberalconditionsforinternalmigrants (in particular, abolishing the mechanism of compulsory registration for citizens attheirplaceofresidence),whichcouldhelpincreaseinternalmobility(whichissorelyneeded)andtheformationofpreferredgeographicalvectors.

ALTERNATIVE POLICY 3 — “ECONOMIC.”Analternativemigrationstrategycouldbetoadoptanapproachthat is focusedexclusivelyonreapingthe immediatedividendsfrom internationalmigration.ThelogicofthispolicyisthattheRussianeconomywouldbethemainbeneficia-ryofmigration(businesses,state-ownedandprivateenterprises,andemployerswithlabour

27DraftFederalLaw“OntheIntroductionofAmendmentstotheFederalLaw‘OntheLegalStatusofForeignCitizensintheRussianFederation’intheSectiononImprovingtheInstitutionofPermanentResidence.”PutforwardforpublicdebateonFebruary7,2017:http://regulation.gov.ru/projects#npa=61950

http://regulation.gov.ru/projects#npa=61950

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shortages).Allthestate’seffortsshouldbeconcentratedonensuringthemaximumeconomicreturnfrommigrants.

Thetask,whichseemsquitelogicalintermsofattractingtemporaryforeignworkers,acquiresunreasonablyhypertrophiedformsinrespecttoothercategoriesofmigrants.

Forexample,migrantswishingtoenterRussiaforthepurposesofpermanentresidenceaspar-ticipantsintheStateProgrammetoAssisttheVoluntaryResettlementofCompatriotsLivingAbroadtotheRussianFederationfacearatherrigidselectionprocessthatfilterscompatriotsaccordingtotheirageandqualifications,whichessentiallygoesagainsttheveryessenceoftheStateProgramme.

ForeigngraduatesofRussianuniversities,theoverwhelmingmajorityofwhomarecitizensoftheformerSovietrepublicsareseensolelyasapromisingresourceforreplenishingtheRus-sianlabourmarket,whichiswhytheyareaffordedpreferenceswhenitcomestoobtainingpermanentresidencestatusandRussiancitizenship.Thefactthatenticingthesequalifiedandwell-educated individuals away from their home countries, which just so happen to be im-portantgeopoliticalpartnersofRussia,damagestheeconomiesofthesecountriesandgoesagainsttheeconomicandpoliticalintegrationgoalsforthecountriesintheregion—thesus-taineddevelopmentofwhichismostdefinitelyinRussia’sinterests—isforgotten.

Whatismore,thisscenarioofeconomicpragmatismeffectivelyallowsfortheexistenceofalargenumberofundocumentedmigrantworkers.ForRussianbusiness(andthustheRussianeconomy),whichisrelativelyweakanduncompetitive,theabilitytohiremigrantsonanunof-ficialbasisandthussaveoncostsprovidesanimportantcompetitiveadvantagethatallowsittosurvive,particularlyduringatimeofeconomiccrisis.Theineffective,deeplycorruptsystemofmonitoringlabourrelationsisinnopositiontoexertarestraininginfluenceonthisviciouspractice.

Insuchascenario,whichisfocusedensuringthemaximumeconomicbenefitfrommigrants,itwouldseemthatthestateshouldactivelyparticipateinthedevelopmentofthelabourmi-gration infrastructureandcreateasystemfortrainingmigrantworkers inRussiaatexistingeducationalinstitutionsandsetupnewvocationaltrainingschoolswiththeaimofprovidingmigrantswiththenecessaryprofessionalqualificationsinaccordancewiththerequirementsofRussianemployers.Butthisisnothappening.Asaresult,themassivepresenceoflabourmigrantsontheRussianmarketmeansthatthereisapersistentunmetdemandforworkers

Aswecansee,noneofthealternativeoptionswehaveconsideredforthedevelopmentofmi-grationpolicyiscompleteintermsoftheperceptionofthestrategicrolethatmigrationcouldplayinRussia’slong-termdevelopment.

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CONCLUSIONTheproposedmigrationstrategymodelandtherecommendationsforitsimplementa-tionhavebeendevelopedonthebasisoftheglobalanddomesticchallenges(economic,demographic,sociopolitical,foreignpolicy)currentlyfacingRussia.TheaxiomonwhichtheproposedmigrationstrategyisbasedisthetheorythatRussia’skeystrategictaskatthepresentstageistoensureprogressiveeconomicdevelopment.Thisdevelopmentcannotbeachievedinthecurrentdemographicsituation,withoutattractingadditionalhumanresourcesfromoutsidethecountry,whichmeansthattheRussianeconomyhasavestedinterestinmigrationinthenear,mediumandlongterm.Progressiveeconomicdevelopmentisalsoimpossiblewithouttheabilitytoguaranteesociopoliticalstability,whichmeansthatitisnecessarytoprovidesuchconditionsfortheintegrationandad-aptationofmigrantsenteringthecountryandthusensurethepeacefulcoexistenceofthehostsocietyandthemigrantpopulation.MostpeopleinRussiadonotunderstandthebenefitthatmigrantlabourcanbringtotheRussianeconomy.Thismuchisevidentfromtheobservablegrowthofxenophobicsentiments,thedesiretoconceptualizemi-grationasasecuritythreat(the“securitization”ofmigration),andcallstolimittheflowofmigrantsintothecountry.Suchattitudesareinconflictwiththeinterestsofeconom-icdevelopment.Thetaskofthestateintheseconditionsis—withthehelpofexpertstructures,civilsocietyandthemedia—toworkonchangingpublicconsciousnesswithregardtomigrantsandat thesametimeprovidea legislativeframeworkandsystemforenforcingmigrationlegislationthatiscapableofsuccessfullyreducingthenumberofinfractions.ThiswouldguaranteethesafetybothofRussiancitizensandofmigrantsenteringthecountry.

Russia’sproposedmigrationstrategypresupposestheformationofarelatively liberalstatemigrationpolicywithregardtoattractingpermanentandtemporarymigrants,astheprevailingdemographicsituationandsocioeconomicdevelopmentof thecountrywouldrequire.Thisdoesnotimplyan“opendoor”policyformigrants;wearetalkingabout establishing clear rules for migrants with regard to their entry, stay, legal sta-tusandemployment,andremovingtheadministrativebarriersthatcreateabreedinggroundforcorruption.Establishingclearrulesrequiresacertaincoherenceoflegislativemeasuresandaconsistencyintermsoflawenforcementpractices.Inthisregard,the

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CONCLUSION

needforcodification,systemizationandharmonizationofthelegislativeactsonmigra-tionthathavebeenadoptedandtheestablishmentoftransparentworkonthelaw-en-forcementsystemareofparamountimportanceintheimplementationofthemigrationstrategy.

Certain recommendations on the implementation of specific areas of the migrationstrategygobeyondthescopeofmigrationmanagement,whichtestifies to thecloseinterrelationbetweenthetasksfacingmigrationpolicyandtasksthatarepertinenttosocioeconomic policy — in employment, education, demographics and foreign poli-cy—andemphasizestheroleofinter-departmentalinteractioninresolvingthestrategicgoalsofRussia’sdevelopment.

A more detailed study of measures for implementing the migration strategy and thepreparationofproposalsonthecorrespondingmechanismsforimplementingthestrat-egyandreformingthelegislativeframeworkwillbepossiblewhentheproposedmigra-tionstrategyisintroducedintheformatofanationalstrategyforthedevelopmentofRussiaupto2035.Itshouldbecloselylinkedattheconceptuallevelwithotherrelatedareasofstatepolicy—economic,demographicandpolitical—astheyrelatetoemploy-ment,educationandforeignpolicy.Theproposedmodelofthemigrationstrategywillalsorequirethereadinessonthepartofthestatetoprovidesubstantialfinancialoutlays;however,thesecostsareessentiallyaninvestmentinRussia’seconomicdevelopment,indevelopingthehumancapitalpotentialofthecountryandofotherpost-Sovietstatesand insocio-politicalstability,allofwhicharevitally important forRussia in termsofensuringitsownsecurity

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