Russia needs migrant workers to sustain its development and address the pressures of a shrinking population, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti in an interview on November 22.
“Migrants are a necessity. The fact is, we are facing a very strained demographic situation. We live in the largest country in the world, but there are very few of us,” Peskov said, adding that Russia “only welcomes” migrant workers.
“Migrants are not the problem — the problem is illegal migrants,” the Kremlin spokesman continued, noting that authorities plan to intensify efforts to combat illegal migration, which he argued fosters conditions for “religious extremism” and “drug abuse.”
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that the authorities must prioritize the interests of Russian citizens when addressing issues related to attracting migrants. He stated that migrants would not face resentment from Russians if they understood and followed the country's laws and had a good command of the Russian language.
Putin also highlighted the importance of ensuring that migrants who come to Russia live in "humane conditions" and have access to all necessary benefits.
Following the March 2024 terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, allegedly carried out by Tajikistani citizens, the Russian government introduced stricter measures on migrants’ rights. Several bills to increase penalties for illegal migration have been submitted to the State Duma (Russia lower chamber of parliament).
Meanwhile, citing a survey by survey by hh.ru and the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), Kommersant reported on October 8 that more than half of Russian companies that employ migrants report a shortage of such workers. This issue is reportedly expected to worsen due to stricter measures against illegal migration and tightened legislation.
53% of surveyed companies employing migrants face a shortage of foreign labor resources and 46% are somewhat satisfied with their current levels of migrant recruitment.
The tightening regulations and enforcement actions against illegal migration reportedly pose challenges for businesses that rely on migrant labor, potentially exacerbating workforce shortages in the future.
