In 2024, around 28,400 people moved to Russia under the State Program for the Resettlement of Compatriots—the lowest figure in the past four years. Since 2017, fewer people participated in the program only in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vyorstka reports, citing data from Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs.
According to the media outlet, the sharpest decline was among migrants from Tajikistan: in 2021-2023, over 10,000 people moved to Russia annually; in 2024, the number dropped to 5,244—a 50-percent decrease.
The trend is reportedly similar for other countries. The number of migrants from Armenia decreased from 5,866 in 2023 to 2,129 in 2024, and the number of migrants from Moldova decreased from 1,105 in 2023 to 567 in 2024.
Migration from Ukraine remains very low: 52 people in 2024 (compared to 39 in 2023 and 421 in 2022).
In 2021, before Russia's full-scale invasion, 1,270 Ukrainians moved to Russia.
Long-term decline in resettlement numbers
Since 2021, the number of people using Russia’s repatriation program has been steadily decreasing. In 2021, 49,200 people used Russia’s repatriation program; since then, annual decrease was about 6,940 people.
In 2024, despite new policies aimed at encouraging migration, the number of participants continued to decline.
New Russian repatriation policies in 2024
On January 1, 2024, Russia officially introduced “repatriation” as a legal status. Eligible applicants include compatriots who lived abroad as of February 24, 2022.
Eased requirements for repatriates:
No need to prove Russian language proficiency.
August 2024: A new law allows repatriates to obtain permanent residence permits directly, bypassing the temporary residence permit stage.
Despite these measures, interest in relocating to Russia continues declining, particularly among migrants from Tajikistan, Armenia, and Moldova.
