Lavrov states decreasing labor migrant figures not in Russia’s best interest

(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that reducing the number of migrant workers in Russia would not benefit the country, highlighting that Russia is currently facing a labor shortage. Lavrov explained that cutting the migrant labor force would hinder the country’s development plans and make them harder to achieve. His comments were made during a press conference following his visit to Uzbekistan on Wednesday.

While stressing the importance of migrant labor for Russia's economy, Lavrov also emphasized the need to prevent the rise of criminal activity among foreign workers and ensure that migrants comply with Russian laws. His remarks come amid increased efforts by Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs to crack down on illegal immigration. In 2024, over 190,000 foreign nationals were expelled from Russia.

According to the ministry, there are about 670,000 illegal migrants in Russia, with many being women and children. Additionally, law enforcement has uncovered over 1,300 cases of forged migration documents since the beginning of the year.

In response to the growing challenges in managing immigration, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree earlier this month to establish a new agency within the Interior Ministry focused on improving immigration management and ensuring better compliance with Russian laws.

Putin has also expressed Russia’s willingness to collaborate with Uzbekistan on migration issues, acknowledging the contributions of nearly 1 million Uzbek citizens working in sectors such as construction, housing, and logistics, and ensuring they have decent working conditions in Russia.

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