Migration In Russia

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TAJIK LABOUR MIGRATION TO RUSSIA: A BOON OR A CURSE?
CAUSES OF TAJIK LABOUR MIGRATION TO RUSSIA AND ITS CONSEQUENCES FOR SOCIETY, ECONOMY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF TAJIKISTAN

In the first decade of the twenty-first century, the inflow of remittances in Tajikistan from migrant workers has increased greatly: whereas in 2002, the inflow of remittances was only 79 million US dollar, in 2007, this amount has increased to 1.691 billion US dollars, making up 45.5% of the total GDP of the country. By far the most labour migrants went to Russia: in 2008, Russia received 98% of all the Tajiks who decided to work abroad. Most of the migrants were men (93.5%) and their median age is relatively low, only 32.4 years, with 24% of the migrants being …show more content…

In the Soviet era, a large part of the Tajik population was employed in large enterprises that worked closely together with suppliers and consumers from other parts of the Soviet Union. Specialists were attracted from other republics. After it became independent in 1991, a civil war broke out that nearly tore the country apart. Furthermore, unlike many of its neighbours, Tajikistan only has limited natural resources. As a result, the Tajik government could not provide basic services and a social safety net to its citizens, especially in rural areas. Most Russians had left the country during the 1990s. As subsistence farming is often impossible due to the mountainous geography of the country, people had to find other ways of survival. This lack of opportunities and even means of survival was a strong ‘push factor’ in Tajik labour migration. The fact that the Tajik population is very young (the median age is 23.5 years) and the country has a high birth rate (24.99 births/1000 population) only contributed to the labour surplus that exists in the …show more content…

The common Soviet heritage of Tajikistan and Russia made barriers for migration relatively low. Remittances have had a positive effect on purchasing power and health of the Tajik population, but the fact that Tajik women have to run the household alone for a long time has led to stress among Tajik women, and school dropout and child labour among Tajik children.
Unlike many other labour exporting countries, migration in the 2000s has not led to a brain drain in Tajikistan, since most of the migrants are low-skilled workers, and the visa-free regime has led to increased possibilities for Tajiks to receive education in Russia. However, remittances have made Tajik producers less competitive and inhibit economic reforms in the country. Its dependence on remittances has also given Russia more leverage over Tajikistan on the political field, as can be seen in Russian efforts to stimulate the country to join the EEU, under the threat of making labour migration more difficult if Tajikistan chooses to stays

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