Migration flow rises sharply in Russia

Constantine Romodanovsky, Chief of the Russian Federal Migration Service, said at the Merkuriy Club that about a third of the entire CIS population and two thirds of its employable population had visited Russia just in the past four years. The number of migrants entering Russia had increased by 37% in the same period. 17.7 million migrants, 75% of them Ukrainians, entered Russia in 2013.

Alexander Tsipko, Chief Scientist of the RAS Institute for International Economic and Political Research, attending the Merkuriy Club, said that such a high migration flow was a result of young Russians’ loss of interest in physical labour. He recalled that MSU students had been working as loaders, night guards and other physical workers in the past. The expert believes that modern Russian society feels disgust towards physical work.

Unlike Russians, continues Tsipko, people in the West need to do simple physical jobs before they get a chance to achieve something in life.

The official noted that there were other problems, such as a low birth rate and a high abortion rate. He added that migration affected a wide range of social problems: responsibility for life, corruption, work of police, conscience. The expert said that a German would prefer not to hire illegal migrants because of the punishment one may get for it. Russia has no such legal conscience, according to the expert.

Constantine Romodanovsky, Chief of the Russian Federal Migration Service, said at the Merkuriy Club that about a third of the entire CIS population and two thirds of its employable population had visited Russia just in the past four years. The number of migrants entering Russia had increased by 37% in the same period. 17.7 million migrants, 75% of them Ukrainians, entered Russia in 2013.Alexander Tsipko, Chief Scientist of the RAS Institute for International Economic and Political Research, attending the Merkuriy Club, said that such a high migration flow was a result of young Russians’ loss of interest in physical labour. He recalled that MSU students had been working as loaders, night guards and other physical workers in the past. The expert believes that modern Russian society feels disgust towards physical work.Unlike Russians, continues Tsipko, people in the West need to do simple physical jobs before they get a chance to achieve something in life.The official noted that there were other problems, such as a low birth rate and a high abortion rate. He added that migration affected a wide range of social problems: responsibility for life, corruption, work of police, conscience. The expert said that a German would prefer not to hire illegal migrants because of the punishment one may get for it. Russia has no such legal conscience, according to the expert