necessary measures to reduce the outflow of the population abroad

The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, ordered to take measures to reduce the outflow of the population from the country. On May 12, he signed the corresponding decree in which amendments were made to the Concept of State Migration Policy of Russia.

As stated in the document, “in 2022, under the influence of changed social and economic conditions, the migratory outflow of the population of the Russian Federation abroad increased.” What is meant by changed conditions is not explained.

On February 24, 2022, by order of Putin, Russia launched a large-scale armed invasion of Ukraine, and in September of the same year, mobilization was announced in the country. At the end of February-March, and then at the end of September-October, according to estimates, hundreds of thousands of people left Russia; people also left in other months, although not so intensively.

The decree states that the authorities must take additional measures “to create attractive financial, social and other mechanisms for preserving human capital, reducing the outflow of the population abroad.” What these measures are, however, is not said.

Also, the Concept is supplemented by a clause stating the need to “create conditions for the return, including from abroad,” of residents of the four regions of Ukraine, whose annexation was announced by Russia – Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson – “who left during the period of the special military operation places of permanent residence”. Details are also not provided; In this case, we are talking about the citizens of Ukraine, how the Russian authorities want to “create conditions” for their return to Russian-controlled territories – it is not clear.

Another point of the decree suggests “increasing the scale of the organized involvement of foreign citizens in the implementation of labor activities” on the territory of Russia.