Russia for immigrants, hell or heaven?

[Nikitn]

There are fears in some parts of Russia that illegal immigration may grow unless official quotas are increased. Millions of migrants, mostly from former-soviet republics, live and work in Russia. Several regions have already reached their quota for foreign workers. Moscow is a magnet for workers as it’s seen as the best place to earn a living both by migrants and Russians. So the jobs Muscovites shun, usually in low paid service industries, are taken up by those from the country’s other regions and the CIS states.

Russia struggles with immigrant rush




Many say there is nothing to do in their own republics as there are no prospects there – this is the view Armenian Aleksandr Aleksanyan, a cook in a Moscow restaurant, also shares. He moved to Russia’s capital together with his family seven years ago.

Despite irregular working hours and a salary much lower than that of the locals, he would never go back. His boss Oleg Ermolaev is happy with Aleksandr, but could do with more like him. It’s this kind of employers who apply to the immigration service to allow them to hire migrant workers.

“There are only two cooks in the cafe, whereas I need four. So the two are working for months without week-ends and holidays, otherwise we'll have to close the business,” the restaurant’s owner said.

The latest government figures suggest at least six Russian regions have reached their quota for immigrant workers.

The number allowed entry in 2008 was reduced because last year’s entire quota was not taken up. But that's caused its own headache: if the legal migration is reduced, but the irregular part of migration consequently, is increased.

The Immigration Service suggests the quota may be increased in the future.

Oleg Artamonov from Moscow Government noted that employers may still apply for additional quotas that would enable them to hire more migrants.

“Also, they should make sure they apply for 2009 well in advance in order to avoid the lack of labour,” he added.

So far it's only Moscow and its region that have applied for an extension.


http://russiatoday.com/news/news/25202

[wilpuri]

The serfs are back.

Large influx of workers will inevitably lower wages for the natives as well. Still, socialist parties tend to support this migration out of "solidarity" (*cough* Bullsh-t*cough*). Who will defend the Russian worker?

[mongrel]

They treat other Russian and CIS workers as migrants?, how daft is that. We Londoners can't be asked to count the numbers of Geordies, Scousers and Brummies living here and I can see New York having quotas for Californians.

[wilpuri]

They treat other Russian

Russia is a federation, with several non-Russian republics. Not exactly sure how the system works, though.

and CIS workers as migrants?

How is that strange? The CIS is not exactly the EU.

[Dr. Croccer]

Russia is a federation, with several non-Russian republics. Not exactly sure how the system works, though.

Kinda like in US. But with more and more unique. Like Tuvan Oblast, Tartarstan, etc. They even have a Jewish one that has Yiddish as offiicial language.

[Central Asian Qaghan]

Kinda like in US. But with more and more unique. Like Tuvan Oblast, Tartarstan, etc. They even have a Jewish one that has Yiddish as offiicial language.

I always wanted to learn about these republics. How free are they actually?

[mongrel]

Russia is a federation, with several non-Russian republics. Not exactly sure how the system works, though.....How is that strange? The CIS is not exactly the EU.

It certainly is not the EU. The system seems over-regulated to me.

[Randarkmaan]

The serfs are back.

Large influx of workers will inevitably lower wages for the natives as well. Still, socialist parties tend to support this migration out of "solidarity" (*cough* Bullsh-t*cough*). Who will defend the Russian worker?

Aren't the communists (or at least one of the parties) among the least immigrant-friendly in Russia? I think there was an instance with a pretty nasty TV-commercial, where the party Rodina was banned from the election.

[wilpuri]

Aren't the communists (or at least one of the parties) among the least immigrant-friendly in Russia? I think there was an instance with a pretty nasty TV-commercial, where the party Rodina was banned from the election.

In Russia that's possible, but I was talking about Socialist parties in general. Btw, Rodina is hardly a socialist party.

[Last Roman]

If the businesses need it, then go for it.

[Pavlik the Rus]

Republic Tuva, not the Oblast. One the wildest and beauty places
This system works fine generally.
Ethnic republic have more preferences than "ordinary Russian" regions aka oblast'
They have their own constitution, official languages with same rights as Russian
In terms of federal economics they have the same rights and duties like other regions

[Richard]

Their population is the fastest falling in the world (except the Ukraine's), you'd think they'd be taking in all the people they can get...

[LegendI]

Their population is the fastest falling in the world (except the Ukraine's), you'd think they'd be taking in all the people they can get...

Cause everyone is emmigrating and conditions are still not as good as people remember they were in the USSR. Once employment is better and people are happy, i'm pretty sure everything will become better in terms of the Russian ethnic population.

Russians does not want too many immigrants. More immigrants, less Russians = fascism. Fascism=what our great grandfathers faught back in WW2. What i mean by fascism is that more native russians will have growing hatred for immigrants.

[ivan_the_terrible]

What i mean by fascism is that more native russians will have growing hatred for immigrants.

Depends on how well they integrate. If they speak Russian (most do) and speak it amongst themselves in public than there shouldn't be too much trouble.

Of course there are always some ultra-nationlist, neo-nazi idiots who will whine about it or worse, but if the process is gradual and steady I dont see any major problems. If the next few generations grow up with ethnically non-Russian friends, intermarry etc, it should be fine.

[Lord Consul]

So they must speak Russian amongst themselves in order to avoid causing trouble? What's the problem of a couple of Armenians talking to each other in their mother tongue?

[ivan_the_terrible]

So they must speak Russian amongst themselves in order to avoid causing trouble? What's the problem of a couple of Armenians talking to each other in their mother tongue?

Absolutely no problem. But they must be encouraged to speak Russian, because if the immigrants outnumber the natives, foreign languages would dominate the country. Theres nothing wrong with speaking your own tongue, but its not good if it displaces the original one, just by the sheer number of immigrants. Wouldn't you think it would be odd if you went to the shops in your city, but heard only Spanish? It just wouldn't be good to make the natives feel like strangers in their own country.

My friend from Sheffield, England tells me the Pakistani community there occupies whole parts of the town, where they hardly need to adapt to English culture at all. Whats more, many aren't willing to learn the language, let alone become assimilated/integrated. He says that there are now official restrictions on selling piggy-banks in the area, and on putting up christmas lights on your house, lest the muslim community is offended.

I'm an immigrant myself (my family moved), and I firmly believe that you should be willing to at least speak the language of the country you're moving to. Doesn't mean you have to forget who you are, just that you should show some consideration to the country that is giving you a better life.

[mongrel]

Absolutely no problem. But they must be encouraged to speak Russian, because if the immigrants outnumber the natives, foreign languages would dominate the country. Theres nothing wrong with speaking your own tongue, but its not good if it displaces the original one, just by the sheer number of immigrants. Wouldn't you think it would be odd if you went to the shops in your city, but heard only Spanish? It just wouldn't be good to make the natives feel like strangers in their own country.

My friend from Sheffield, England tells me the Pakistani community there occupies whole parts of the town, where they hardly need to adapt to English culture at all. Whats more, many aren't willing to learn the language, let alone become assimilated/integrated. He says that there are now official restrictions on selling piggy-banks in the area, and on putting up christmas lights on your house, lest the muslim community is offended.

I'm an immigrant myself (my family moved), and I firmly believe that you should be willing to at least speak the language of the country you're moving to. Doesn't mean you have to forget who you are, just that you should show some consideration to the country that is giving you a better life.

Your friend exaggerates, indeed he was having a laugh. I know that area. Pakistanis there are more than fluent in the English language, and speak it in the local Yorkshire dialect. The piggy bank and christmas tree lights issues are pc nonsense. There are no government restrictions on the appearance of savings boxes or the putting up of Christmas trees. Indeed Sheffield has a Christmas tree recycling programme.

Since the Iraq war the racist elements of society in the UK and New Labour ultras have been making up stories about Islam for political advantage. It has died down now, as most reasonable people have seen through this and have now realised that the real problem with the country is our government. The piggy bank myth is a typical example. Read this.

http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s1494636.htm