What is the Future of Migrants Arriving in Russia?

The Human Capital Multidisciplinary Research Centre has published the twenty-sixth issue of the scientific digest. It presents behavioral strategies and attitudes of Central Asian migrant workers towards Russia. What are the migrants' plans for the future? What should we expect in the foreseeable future in terms of their integration into Russian society? The answers to these and many other questions are presented in a new study.

According to the author of the study (Vladimir Malakhov), the question of behavioral strategies of Central Asian migrants – whether they are focused on settling in Russia, returning to the country of origin, moving to another country – needs clarification. There has never been such a large number of migrants who do not have any definite plans for their immediate (and even more distant) future, as in the last one and a half to two years.

Contrary to popular beliefs about the insurmountable cultural distance between Central Asian migrants and the local community, this distance is quite easily overcome in practice. Central Asians quickly adapt to the new environment, accepting the "rules of the game" coming from the host party.

Adapting to the living conditions in Russia, migrants develop a mixed identity. And if in the case of the older generation, the loss or weakening of ties with the country of origin is experienced as a problem, then in the case of young cohorts ("second" and "third" generation, born and raised in Russia) this process is almost automatic. Since the socialization of migrant children takes place in a Russian–language school and – no less importantly - on the Russian-language Internet, they do not reproduce the cultural identity of their parents.

Despite the significant integration potential, the actual integration of Central Asian migrants into the host society is extremely low. The majority of immigrants from this region are characterized by a high degree of isolation from the environment. Their contacts with the local population are usually limited to work.

Migrants actively support the narrative of the authenticity of the nation – it is assumed that authenticity should be protected, and that women are the key to this. It is important, however, to note that this narrative is disputed. The subjects of the challenge are, firstly, individual young women, and secondly, representatives of the second generation of migrants. Young people are not ready to conform their marital behavior with traditional (in their opinion, outdated) ideas.

Human Capital Multidisciplinary Research Center Digest Project is managed by Olga Voron.

The new issue of the scientific digest (Russian version) is available at the link.