Migrants are fleeing Russia. What will this lead to?

The authorities of Russia have confirmed that the number of labor migrants from Central Asian countries in the country is decreasing, which will affect the Russian economy.

Professor Alexander Safonov from the Financial University under the Government of Russia reported that the number of workers from neighboring countries, particularly from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, will be reduced. They have started to choose destinations such as China, South Korea, and Europe.

According to the expert from the Financial University, the outflow of labor migrants from Central Asian countries is linked to the decline in the ruble’s exchange rate and the tightening of migration policies in Russia.

Economic experts in Russia believe that the process of outflow of migrants from Central Asian countries will continue in the future. They note that the economies of these countries are developing confidently, and more citizens will be able to find work in their homeland.

Safonov pointed out the growth of economic development in the Central Asian republics. According to him, the People’s Republic of China is investing in the economies of these countries, and Russian companies are relocating production there. As a result, new jobs are emerging there, comparable in salaries to those in Russia.

Experts no longer view labor migration to Russia as a sustainable strategy, although for a long time, migration to Russia remained one of the main destinations for migrants. In their opinion, political changes, economic difficulties, and increasing threats of discrimination and restrictions in Russia create unfavorable conditions that force migrants to leave Russia in search of better conditions for labor migration.

The authorities of Tajikistan, taking this trend into account, are negotiating with European and Asian countries, including Poland, Turkey, and Romania, to seek new pathways for labor migration instead of creating jobs within the country.

Critics of the government of Emomali believe that there is currently an opportunity for Tajikistan to create jobs within the country and reduce the scale of migration. However, since remittances from abroad are the main source of foreign currency and have a direct impact on the state budget, the authorities do not want to reduce these inflows and continue to seek new migration directions.