Mikhail Zurabov said on Tuesday the number of migrant workers in Russia increased by 5.4 times over the past ten years to 702,500 people in 2005

Thursday, August 18, 2022

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Russian Health and Social Development Minister Mikhail Zurabov said on Tuesday the number of migrant workers in Russia increased by 5.4 times over the past ten years to 702,500 people in 2005. But the real number of migrant workers is 13-fold higher the official statistics. “According to the Federal Migration Service, there are 10 million migrant workers in Russia,” he told a ministerial meeting on migration policy management. Most migrants work in Russia illegally and are employed in construction, trade and industry. Last year, only 214,000 migrants were issued a work permit. Moreover, “most foreign workers who come to Russia in search of a job are low-qualified,” Zurabov said. By creating a steady supply of cheap workforce, irregular migrants contribute to the development of shadow employment, he said. Zurabov pointed out that migrant’s labor rights, including the right to safe work and decent wages, are heavily violated. Illegal migrants also “cannot address medical institutions” as they had no insurance. “The problem of marketing of boot-legged alcohol and forged medicines by foreign citizens is still high on the agenda. The control over migrant workers’ activities in trade is hampered by their temporary stay in Russia,” he said. Zurabov expressed the confidence that Russia has enough labor resources not to use foreign workforce in some economic areas. Around 1.8 million jobless are registered in the country’s employment service. “The number of migrant workers should be restricted in retail trade, mainly on markets, to protect the rights of Russian citizens and ensure their security and health,” he said.

Print Mikhail Zurabov said on Tuesday the number of migrant workers in Russia increased by 5.4 times over the past ten years to 702,500 people in 2005

Bookmark Mikhail Zurabov said on Tuesday the number of migrant workers in Russia increased by 5.4 times over the past ten years to 702,500 people in 2005