Flow of migrants from Uzbekistan to Russia decreased by 42% – Media

It is noted that the coronavirus pandemic and the closure of borders have led to a significant reduction in the number of foreigners in Russia. If in 2019 there were 9.6 million to 11.2 million foreigners in Russia, in 2020 their number decreased from 10.3 million at the end of January to 7.1 million at the end of the year.

In 2021, the number of arriving foreigners in the country continued to decline – as of May 1, the number of foreigners was 5.66 million people. The majority of those who came to Russia (86%) were citizens of CIS countries, but in 2020 their number also decreased considerably (by 39%).

The number of citizens from Ukraine and Moldova decreased the most – 53% and 51%, respectively, and slightly less – citizens of Kyrgyzstan (18%), Armenia (22%) and Tajikistan (35%).

In 2021, compared to 2020, the number of citizens from EU countries has decreased threefold – their number in Russia has been recorded at the lowest level in 10 years (226 thousand). The flow from Tajikistan has decreased by 37%, and from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan – by 42%.

As of May 1, 2021, the number of labor migrants (who indicated their goal of entering Russia as hired workers) was 2.68 million. Compared to 2020, the number of labor migrants decreased by 1/3 (35%).

The share of labor migrants legally remaining in the country in the total number of those who came to work in Russia was 75%.

At the end of the first quarter, labor migrants paid 8.91 billion rubles to Russia’s regional budgets for patents (down by 20% than in the same period in 2020).