Russia starts tough new migration rules (launches crackdown on millions of illegal workers)

AP on Yahoo ^ | 1/15/07 | Henry Meyer - ap

[NormsRevenge]

MOSCOW - Russia launched a crackdown on millions of illegal workers as tough new migration rules came into effect Monday amid a rising tide of anti-immigrant sentiment.

But with Russia's population plummeting, there is concern the country could face serious shortages of low-wage laborers.

"They don't like the color of our skin here," said a 26-year-old Azerbaijani produce seller at a Moscow food market who gave his name as Alek. He predicted that he and many of his fellow migrants would have to leave Russia.

Under the new rules, which set a quota of 6 million foreign workers for 2007, authorities are carrying out strict checks of the estimated 10 million to 12 million foreigners who are already working in Russia, most of them illegally.

The legislation eases stringent procedures for citizens of most former Soviet republics who enter Russia from Jan. 15 to obtain work permits, but it also increases fines for businesses that employ illegal migrants.

Further limiting foreigners' right to work in Russia, a government decree that took effect Jan. 1 restricted the number of non-Russians in the retail trade.

The issue of immigration has become a lightning rod for President Vladimir Putin's government amid growing popular resentment of migrants — in particular, darker-skinned workers from former Soviet republics in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Racist attacks and hate crimes are on the rise, and the Movement Against Illegal Immigration — a far-right grass-roots political organization — has exploded in popularity in recent months.

Critics warn that the authorities' moves will only encourage xenophobic sentiment, fuel inflation and accelerate Russia's population decline.

The population is dropping by about 700,000 a year and has fallen below 143 million, a demographic crisis blamed on the economic turmoil that followed the Soviet collapse. The decline would be even more catastrophic were it not for immigration.

Migrants from former Soviet republics, mostly from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova or poor nations in Central Asia, including Tajikistan, are the main source of cheap labor in Russia. They do menial jobs for low pay that Russians refuse to do, forming the backbone of the work force in the construction industry and food and clothing markets.

John Litwack, chief economist at the World Bank's office in Russia, told The Associated Press that Russia needed to attract 1 million new migrants a year, but the new rules could likely make it more difficult for foreigners to work here.

"Russia relies tremendously on immigrant labor, because it is facing a very difficult demographic crisis, which in the medium-term will become more serious," he said. "It is in Russia's interests to maintain favorable conditions for migrants, particularly from the former Soviet Union."

Under the new regulations, businesses that employ people without proper documents face fines of up to $30,100 and a three-month trading suspension.

Last year, Putin ordered new measures to reduce the employment of foreign workers, especially at Russia's busy indoor and outdoor markets, alleging they were crowding out native Russian producers and retailers.

In the Far East city of Khabarovsk on the Chinese border, Chinese market vendors have been packing up their unsold goods and heading back home. One clothes trader, Li Chen Tsza, said he had marked down his prices by 50 percent to get rid of his inventory.

"They told us that from the New Year we won't be able to sell our goods here anymore," he said in televised comments.

The deputy director of Russia's Federal Migration Service, Vyacheslav Postavnin, insisted that the authorities' only aim was to legalize migrant labor.

"For us, the main thing is that neither Russians nor Russian citizens who employ foreigners should violate migration law," he told the government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta in an interview published Monday.

The official also dismissed fears that a fall in the number of foreign workers would pose a problem for employers. "At the end of the day, they can hire Russian citizens," he said.

The head of the Federal Migration Service and other high-level officials met with ambassadors from ex-Soviet republics Monday to discuss the new rules, the Foreign Ministry said. The new rules have raised concerns in several countries.

[JRios1968]

Doing the jobs Russians won't do...

[narby]

Internal passports.

Papers Please....

[Shots]

Seems like that is a common excuse they are always doing the jobs no one else will. Me thinks it is a catch phrase they picked up from the Mexican illegals.

[narby]

enter Russia from Jan. 15 to obtain work permits

We'll have to have those here, of course. How is an employer to know who to hire without them?

[GSlob]

Well, within a reasonably short time this "mudea" will fizzle a natural death from basic corruption, gross incompetence, economic facts and the rest of the usual causes. In the process they will cause unnecessary dislocation and a lot of inconvenience, but that, too, is in the order of things, to such an extent that it could be seen as the basic reason for the whole thing.

[proxy_user]

This is something much more serious. The race of ethnic Russians is dying out very rapidly. They are particularly short of men in the prime of life. While their land is not that great, neighboring populations are naturally going to be attracted by an emptying country.

[nitzy]

Between Russia's exclusion of foreigners and China's record breaking exports I am absolutely confused. I have been told that these countries are very inclined to manipulate markets and trade to benefit their own countries and economies. I have also been told time and again that to have a good economy America needs to import workers and maintain a huge trade deficit. Are these nations not acting in their best interest or have I been lied to? /s

[OldPossum]

Did you know that Russian CITIZENS have to have special permission to move to Moscow (where most of the good jobs are).

I suppose we shouldn't gloat; we may face the same kind of situation once all the security measures are finally in place. I can foresee having to have a background check before moving from a non-sensitive area (say, Arkansas), to New York City.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I hereby volunteer to help the Russians with their population crisis (Cue Barry White music)

[RusIvan]

Did you know that Russian CITIZENS have to have special permission to move to Moscow (where most of the good jobs are).==

Not exactly. You just should register your address there in Moscow after 3 month stay. In order to get employed you still need to register the address first. No need of no permitions. Accually each citizen has to register his address somewhere in Russia.

[OldPossum]

You sure are splitting hairs, RusIvan. Sounds like some kind of special permission to me if you have to register your address within three months.

In any event, I find the requirement of registration of one's address repellent (where you live is none of the government's damn business); of course, I am looking at this from the vantage point of a person residing in a relatively free society, maybe that's my hangup.

[RusIvan]

Sounds like some kind of special permission to me if you have to register your address within three months.==

But that is no permit. You just should register your address same manner as in US you has to go obtain the new ID when your moved to new address. Same in Russia. If you moved to new adress say in Moscow you should register that new address first during 3 months. That is all.

For foreigneers theer are the different matter. THEY need to get permition to live in some areas.

[OldPossum]

No, No, No, RusIvan, we Americans do not--repeat--do not find ourselves obliged to REGISTER our new address with the government. Government, RusIvan, is the key word. We may--and should--tell others (such as magazine subscription departments, friends, and the such) of our new address, but we are under no obligation to tell the GOVERNMENT (there's tnat word again, note it) of our new address.

Unlike your overly concerned, and nosy, government, ours does not care where we live unless there is a purpose such as mailing Social Security, Civil Service retirement checks, etc. As far as other people are concerned, no interest, RusIvan.

Insofar as ID is concerned, if you move within a state, sure, you have a new drivers license issued, but again here it is: the government has an interest in issuing you a new drivers license. If you move out of the state, new test (maybe) and a new drivers license.

But RusIvan, how can I get it through to you that there is no perfunctory registration with the government if you move. If you have no driver license or government checks being mailed to uou, no need for the government to know where you now live. That is the essential difference between the Russian and American governments, yours wants to know every damn thing about its citizens. Ours doesn't. Understood?

Now, insofar as moving to Moscow is concerned, I was told by my pen pal of some 12 years that Russian citizens do have to have special permission to move to Moscow. It's her word against yours, in this case.

I think that you think that America and Russia are similar in terms of residence changes. I don't think so. But if you do, well....

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Wow,Russia gets it. To bad it wont happen here.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Sorry, meant to use the word "TOO"

[RusIvan]

Now, insofar as moving to Moscow is concerned, I was told by my pen pal of some 12 years that Russian citizens do have to have special permission to move to Moscow. ==

It was during soviet times but not now. Otherwise as I recember correctly on back of your driver license there are the reminding of DMV that you entitled by law to go and change your DL during 30 days if you changed the address. I lived in US and I had the driver license so I remember. Now you see. It is same registration like in Russia today.

[OldPossum]

This is my last post on the matter.

This is one of your earlier posts:

Not exactly. You just should register your address there in Moscow after 3 month stay. In order to get employed you still need to register the address first. No need of no permitions. Actually each citizen has to register his address somewhere in Russia.

Now, look it over. Note that to get employed you have to register. Also, every citizen has to register his/her address wherever he or she lives in Russia. We American do not, RusIvan. Can you understand that? To say it again: we do not need to register our residential address to get employed in any major city, nor do we have to notify the national (or state) government where we are living except under very limited circumstances. This is a hallmark of a free people, RusIvan. I think you and I have a major cultural/political difference that you cannot or will not see.

Insofar as drivers licenses are concerned, sure, one has to keep the state (not the federal government, by the way) informed as to his or her correct address. And in that regard, "It is same registration like in Russia today." But that's where the similarity ends.

[RusIvan]

Now, look it over. Note that to get employed you have to register. Also, every citizen has to register his/her address wherever he or she lives in Russia. We American do not, RusIvan.==

The registation of address is the requirement of tax agency accually. Simply each employer has according to law to collect taxes and social security payment and mail them to goverment agencies.
In America one gets the SSN number for that and it is his registration for life. Here in Russia one gets NEW SSN address each time when he moves to different federative entity/land (the analog of american state). Russia has the about 80 of such lands. SO that is why the reqirement of registration of new address comes from. From needness to issue the new SSN number when person moves to the different federative entity(land). And one more you register addres with NO fed agency but with "land" agency accually. SImply each such registration gives you the NEW SSN. That is the major difference with USA. In USA you should register once in life and gets your SSN but in Russia you gets new SSN with each moves to the different federative entity/land.
SO no employer can give you job until you present him your accual in this land, SSN. That is all.

You may not dispute this with me because I lived in States for 5 years and I live now in Russia. So I has first hand experience - how it is done in both countries but you do not but just fed by MSM bull**** about how much Russia is not "democratic":))).