Russia doesn’t see immigration as way to offset falling birthrates
Russia will no longer treat immigration as a solution to its demographic challenges and will tighten rules to ensure migrants do not exceed their legal stay, according to Aleksandr Grebenkin, deputy secretary of the Russian Security Council.
Speaking to Rossiyskaya Gazeta about the State Migration Policy for 2026–2030, approved in October, Grebenkin said the new strategy prioritizes national security, economic needs, and the integration of foreigners who align with what Moscow calls traditional values.
He explained that migration is “no longer viewed as an auxiliary means of addressing demographic issues,” but as a tool to meet economic requirements. Foreigners, he added, should not expect long-term residence in Russia unless they fall under specific categories and must leave once their permitted stay ends.
Grebenkin argued that the migration landscape has changed, pointing to new security threats from “hostile states and radical groups” that allegedly try to use migration flows to destabilize Russia. He also claimed that some migrants—especially from former Soviet states—arrive with “a dismissive and consumerist attitude” toward Russia, contributing to rising social tensions and interethnic or interfaith conflicts.
To counter risks, Russia has introduced a range of measures such as mandatory fingerprinting, health screenings, photograph collection, and digitized migration records. According to Grebenkin, these steps have reduced the number of migrants staying in the country illegally by more than threefold.
His remarks come as Russia faces an ongoing demographic crisis, with 2024 recording the lowest birthrate since 1999. The government has responded with cash incentives for childbirth and expanded maternity benefits in an effort to boost population growth.
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