Russia Set to Impose Stricter Migration Rules
In an interview published Tuesday, Grebenkin outlined the country’s State Migration Policy for 2026-2030, approved last October. He emphasized that the policy prioritizes national security and economic growth while targeting illegal migration and integrating foreigners who align with traditional Russian values.
“According to the new policy, the migration of foreign citizens to our country is no longer viewed as an auxiliary means of addressing demographic issues, but rather as an additional tool for implementing economic measures,” he said. Grebenkin clarified that foreigners are generally not entitled to permanent residence and must depart when their legal stay concludes, with only limited exceptions.
“The migration situation has changed significantly,” he added. “New security threats have emerged as hostile states and radical groups seek to exploit migration to undermine our interests, destabilize domestic politics, and fuel tensions with migrants’ home countries.”
He also noted that migrants’ perspectives have evolved under different environments. He pointed to arrivals from former Soviet republics who he said often show “a dismissive and consumerist attitude toward Russia.”
“All of this fuels rising tensions in Russian society over migration and the emergence of interethnic and interfaith conflicts,” he stated.
To mitigate these risks, Russia has implemented measures including mandatory fingerprinting, health screenings, photographing, and digitized migration records. According to Grebenkin, these steps have reduced the number of foreign citizens staying illegally in the country by more than threefold.
The move comes amid longstanding concerns over Russia’s demographic decline. 2024 data revealed the lowest annual birthrate since 1999, prompting the government to expand childbirth payments and maternity benefits to encourage population growth.
Migration rules were further tightened following last year’s Crocus City Hall attack, in which Islamic State-linked Tajik nationals killed 149 people, an act Russian authorities attributed to Ukrainian intelligence. At a recent government meeting, President Vladimir Putin said Russia will not emulate countries that attempt to resolve demographic shortfalls through “chaotic migration.”
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
