The Russian government presented a migration policy plan until 2025
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Increasing the number of foreigners in Russian universities, issuing simplified residence permits to graduates and expanding the list of types of electronic visas of the Russian Federation – these measures are mentioned in the two-year action plan for the implementation of the concept of migration policy until 2025, approved by the government of the Russian Federation. The document also involves the development of an “adaptation course” for migrant workers and a reminder of the rules of conduct in the country. The concept was previously adjusted by President Vladimir Putin, who called for the creation of attractive “mechanisms to reduce the outflow of population” abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has been instructed to introduce mandatory consular registration of Russian citizens permanently residing abroad.
The government plan for implementing the concept of state migration policy until 2025 consists of six sections and 42 points (Kommersant has it). Thus, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Education and Science sets a goal to increase the number of foreign students in universities and colleges by creating and including in the latter’s programs courses on studying Russian as a foreign language. Graduates are promised to be granted a residence permit (RP) in a simplified manner (now, for example, foreigners whose parents, spouse or children have Russian citizenship can apply for this). The corresponding proposals from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Economy should be submitted to the White House in December 2024.
By the same date, the government is waiting for ideas to expand the list of types of electronic visas issued to foreigners, “including work and study” (now this is possible for the purposes of tourism, participation in conferences, cultural and sporting events). It is planned to expand the number of countries whose citizens have access to such visas (so far, citizens of 55 countries have this opportunity, including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Japan and Estonia).
Finally, the Cabinet of Ministers expects the development by September 2024 of an “adaptation course” for labor migrants from visa-free countries, hoping to develop in them “the legal awareness and legal culture inherent in Russian society.”
By December 2024, a corresponding memo on “rules and norms of behavior” should appear. With its help, the White House hopes, it will be possible to increase the level of awareness among visitors “about the rules of living in Russian society.”
The concept of the state migration policy of the Russian Federation for 2019–2025, we note, was adopted by presidential decree in 2018. The 35-point document provides a portrait of the previous five-year plan: 10 million foreigners stayed in the Russian Federation annually, including about 3 million migrant workers (3–4% of the average annual labor force). The migration flow “compensated for the natural population decline and became a source of additional resources for the economy.”
Among the main principles of the policy, the priority of the interests of the Russian Federation and its citizens was mentioned, as well as “taking into account the diversity of regional and ethnocultural ways of life of the population of the Russian Federation”; among the tasks – improving the legal and organizational mechanisms for the entry and stay of foreigners in the Russian Federation, as well as creating conditions for their adaptation to the conditions life in the country.
In May 2023, Vladimir Putin demanded that the concept be adjusted by creating “attractive financial and social mechanisms… to reduce the outflow of population abroad.” The President also called for preparing “conditions for the return” of residents to new regions that they left due to the fighting in Ukraine (see “Kommersant” dated May 12, 2023).
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, in January-July 2023, foreigners were issued 9 million documents for registration (versus 9.6 million for the same period in 2022; in total in 2022 – 16.8 million documents, in 2021 – 13 .3 million).
Measures to reduce the outflow of population abroad are not mentioned in detail in the plan. But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Economic Development are tasked with creating a mechanism to facilitate the relocation of foreign businesses to the Russian Federation. As for Russian relocants, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked with introducing mandatory, rather than voluntary, consular registration of citizens living abroad. The department must submit proposals on how to do this to the White House by June 2025. The government expects the Foreign Ministry to specify “the legal status of this category of citizens.”
It should be noted that the plan also mentions long-discussed ideas, for example the creation of a “digital profile” for foreigners (allowing them to use the government services portal).
The Ministry of Digital Development spoke about the development of such a regulatory framework back in 2021. Now the government is waiting for proposals from departments to create such a profile by December 2024.
The head of the Presidential Council for Human Rights (HRC), Valery Fadeev, in a conversation with Kommersant, welcomed “steps to establish systematic work with the huge migration flow.” But he has questions, for example, about the plan’s points on the development of tools for the Russian language proficiency of migrant children and the retraining of teachers to work with minors. “Where will the training take place? In which centers? Who will finance it? I would like more certainty,” said Mr. Fadeev, clarifying that the HRC is working with the Ministry of Education on specific proposals in this regard. He also mentioned the plan’s point on consulting employers who hire foreigners on compliance with labor laws: “It’s no secret that many migrants do not work 40 hours a week, as expected, but 60 or more. And employers do not always pay overtime and do not always ask the employee’s consent. I would like to see (in terms of.— “Kommersant”) measures that are aimed at increasing compliance by employers with laws.” Finally, the head of the Human Rights Council recalled the problem of rubber apartments and migrants living “in unsuitable places, such as basements.” “I hope that the government’s next steps will be directed in this direction,” concluded Mr. Fadeev.
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