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Russia starts tough new migration rules
By HENRY MEYER, Associated Press Writer Mon Jan 15, 4:24 PM ET
MOSCOW - Russia launched a crackdown on millions of illegal workers as tough
new migration rules came into effect Monday amid a rising tide of
anti-immigrant sentiment.
But with Russia's population plummeting, there is concern the country could
face serious shortages of low-wage laborers.
"They don't like the color of our skin here," said a 26-year-old Azerbaijani
produce seller at a Moscow food market who gave his name as Alek. He predicted
that he and many of his fellow migrants would have to leave Russia.
Under the new rules, which set a quota of 6 million foreign workers for 2007,
authorities are carrying out strict checks of the estimated 10 million to 12
million foreigners who are already working in Russia, most of them illegally.
The legislation eases stringent procedures for citizens of most former Soviet
republics who enter Russia from Jan. 15 to obtain work permits, but it also
increases fines for businesses that employ illegal migrants.
Further limiting foreigners' right to work in Russia, a government decree that
took effect Jan. 1 restricted the number of non-Russians in the retail trade.
The issue of immigration has become a lightning rod for President
Vladimir Putin's government amid growing popular resentment of migrants in
particular, darker-skinned workers from former Soviet republics in the Caucasus
and Central Asia.
Racist attacks and hate crimes are on the rise, and the Movement Against
Illegal Immigration a far-right grass-roots political organization has
exploded in popularity in recent months.
Critics warn that the authorities' moves will only encourage xenophobic
sentiment, fuel inflation and accelerate Russia's population decline.
The population is dropping by about 700,000 a year and has fallen below 143
million, a demographic crisis blamed on the economic turmoil that followed the
Soviet collapse. The decline would be even more catastrophic were it not for
immigration.
Migrants from former Soviet republics, mostly from Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Armenia, Moldova or poor nations in Central Asia, including Tajikistan, are the
main source of cheap labor in Russia. They do menial jobs for low pay that
Russians refuse to do, forming the backbone of the work force in the
construction industry and food and clothing markets.
John Litwack, chief economist at the
World Bank's office in Russia, told The Associated Press that Russia needed to
attract 1 million new migrants a year, but the new rules could likely make it
more difficult for foreigners to work here.
"Russia relies tremendously on immigrant labor, because it is facing a very
difficult demographic crisis, which in the medium-term will become more
serious," he said. "It is in Russia's interests to maintain favorable
conditions for migrants, particularly from the former Soviet Union."
Under the new regulations, businesses that employ people without proper
documents face fines of up to $30,100 and a three-month trading suspension.
Last year, Putin ordered new measures to reduce the employment of foreign
workers, especially at Russia's busy indoor and outdoor markets, alleging they
were crowding out native Russian producers and retailers.
In the Far East city of Khabarovsk on the Chinese border, Chinese market
vendors have been packing up their unsold goods and heading back home. One
clothes trader, Li Chen Tsza, said he had marked down his prices by 50 percent
to get rid of his inventory.
"They told us that from the New Year we won't be able to sell our goods here
anymore," he said in televised comments.
The deputy director of Russia's Federal Migration Service, Vyacheslav
Postavnin, insisted that the authorities' only aim was to legalize migrant
labor.
"For us, the main thing is that neither Russians nor Russian citizens who
employ foreigners should violate migration law," he told the government daily
Rossiiskaya Gazeta in an interview published Monday.
The official also dismissed fears that a fall in the number of foreign workers
would pose a problem for employers. "At the end of the day, they can hire
Russian citizens," he said.
The head of the Federal Migration Service and other high-level officials met
with ambassadors from ex-Soviet republics Monday to discuss the new rules, the
Foreign Ministry said. The new rules have raised concerns in several countries.