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On February 7, Rosstat published data on migration growth for the year 2024. According to the report, more than one and a half times as many foreign citizens came to live and work in Russia compared to the previous year. From January to November, the increase amounted to nearly 419,000 people, compared to just 107,500 the year before. Independent demographer Alexei Raksha, who previously served as an advisor at Rosstat, noted that such figures have not been seen since the early 1990s. This is quite surprising, given that due to restrictions introduced one after another by the authorities since last year, it has become increasingly difficult for foreigners to come to and remain in Russia.
If the latest statistical data is accurate, this is excellent news for Russia. Given the extremely unfavorable demographic situation in the country, the import of labor from abroad will essentially remain the only real reserve for the Russian labor market, even in the long term, explains Rostislav Kapelyushnikov, Deputy Director of the Center for Labor Studies at the Higher School of Economics (HSE). Rosstat forecasts that over the next 20 years, the natural population decline in Russia will amount to between 750,000 and 900,000 people per year.
