Deliberate Ambiguity of Russia’s Migration Policy and How It Fits into the Framework of Russia-Central Asia Relations

Abstract

Russian migration policy experienced multiple changes since the collapse of Soviet Union. Continuous migration flow from Central Asia is understood as the legacy of cultural and economic ties with post-soviet republics formed during the soviet period. As a result low-price workforce has flooded the labor market which led to a certain xenophobic tensions among local population. A sudden influx of migrant in the beginning of 90s has led to occurrence of various social and political processes. Migration has become one of the main components of discourse on Russia-Central Asia relations. Russia’s agenda regarding migrants is full of discrepancies which still does not give a clear answer on is going to happen in the nearest future whether migrants will be welcomed as lost brothers or marginalized and left alone in isolated hubs. The political relation between Russia and Central Asia states see migration as an issue that requires collective actions to cope with but the character of such actions and what the Russia’s take on it is remains an enigma.