Seven Million People Left Russia Since 1991

Yesterday Russian Minister overseeing ethnic relations, Vladimir Zorin spoke at the Duma parliamentary hearing dedicated to discussion of a concept of migration process regulation in the Russian Federation. According to the minister, over 7 million people left the country within 1991-2002. He also informed that within the same period of time over 27 million people, or every fourth citizen of Russia, changed their places of residence.

However, Vladimir Zorin emphasized that against the background of unfavorable demographic situation in the country, migration serves an important factor of manpower replenishment. The minister said that currently Russia needs migrants. At present, over 10% of migrants fill the manpower shortage in Russia. 

According to Russia’s State Statistics Committee, 283.700 foreigners were officially registered on the RF territory over 2001. At the same time, the minister stresses that the number of unregistered migrants to Russia made up over 3 million people.

Vladimir Zorin says that in this connection many of the RF subjects are introducing quotas on entry of foreigners on their territories. Thus, the quota on entry of foreigners to Russia for 2003 was established at the rate of 538 thousand migrants. As for Moscow, the showing will make up 90 thousand people. At the same time, the minister adds that the showings are understated, and the authorities will have to review them.

The minister said that Russia urgently has to develop a state line on migration regulation and must first of all guarantee protection of the rights of migrants and security of the state itself in connection with the migration problem. Vladimir Zorin thinks that migration of Russian youth and highly qualified specialists abroad is a pressing problem for the country. At the same time, as the minister stressed, the process of Russia’s integration into the world labor market started not today, however, it is poorly regulated and organized. This is the reason why Russia must develop its own concept of migration process regulation and realize objectives outlined in a new concept.