Contracting economic prospects and increasing restrictions are driving Central Asian migrant workers from Moscow.
- As Russia slides into recession, large net decreases in foreign populations have indicated flight from the country and fewer attempting to enter.
- New requirements including acquisition of a work “patent,” an advance tax, medical examinations, and a test on Russian language, culture, and history have set significant new administrative and financial obstacles for migrant laborers.
- The article highlights Kyrgyz workers, who face social isolation, discrimination, and barriers to service access.
“If America was next door, [migrants] would all leave…But what’s next door is Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, where the level of living is lower and there are no jobs. There’s nowhere to go.”
More on this story at The Guardian.
(Image Credit: Denis Sinyakov/Reuters, via The Guardian)
Outlas 