TSPC News

TSPC AUCA presented its research on labor migration in Russia

January 14, 2019

The Tian-Shan Analytical Center (TSPC) at AUCA presented its study on labor migration in 2017-2018 at an international conference in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Participants discussed practices of violations and protection of labor rights of internal and external migrants in the territory of the Russian Federation.

The conference was attended by members of the Legislative Assembly of the Sverdlovsk Region of the Russian Federation, representatives of government agencies, embassies and consulates, international and non-governmental organizations, academia, centers for comprehensive support for migrants and media from five countries - Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Representatives of the Sverdlovsk State Labor Inspectorate, Prosecutor's Office and the tax service spoke about ongoing work to reduce the level of informal employment, and the practice of protecting the rights of workers, including foreign citizens, in the absence of a labor contracts or any formalized relationship with the employer.

Human rights advocates, representatives of international organizations, NGOs, crisis centers from the countries of Central Asia shared their experiences in helping vulnerable migrant workers and victims of trafficking.

Tatyana Zlobina, Coordinator of the Human Rights and Migration Program at TSPC, presented at the conference the results of a study conducted by the center in 2017-2018 on the implementation of labor rights of Kyrgyz migrant workers in Russia and on employment risks in a situation of unregulated migration.

The study was conducted in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg and included interviews with more than 700 migrant workers from Kyrgyzstan.

After the event, Tatiana Zlobina commented "I really liked that MPs , whose decisions have a strong impact on the rights of migrant workers and the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Sverdlovsk region attended the event. I was pleased with the representation of the migrant workers themselves through the participation of diaspora associations. The participation of representatives of the Consulate General of the Kyrgyz Republic was also very important. The organizers ensured the participation of all stakeholders. This was the strength of the event ".

Yekaterinburg is the fourth most populous city in Russia (after Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk). This is a city of with a population of about 1.5 million people. According to data from 2016, about 20,000 Kyrgyz migrants work in Yekaterinburg. It is estimated that 40,000 Kyrgyz nationals work in the Ural Federal District and the Sverdlovsk Region

The Moscow Institute for Urban Planning projects that by 2035 Yekaterinburg will attract additional 870,000 external migrants and another 140,000 internal migrants (from neighboring cities and regions). It is expected that in 20 years, a third of population of the Ural capital will consist of people with migrant origin.

As a result the city’s priorities include the development of the city’s infrastructure, the fight against informal employment, the prevention of contemporary forms of slavery and labor law infringements by foreign citizens and local employers.

Concerts, competitions and a festive table were organized for labor migrants from Central Asia and their children as part of the celebrations for the International Migrant Day in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on December 18.

Another positive development is the opening of the Universal Migration Center in Yekaterinburg. The center was opened in 2017 and is the first of its kind in Ural District. It acts as a one-stop-shop for foreign citizens and provides necessary advice and support on all migration matters, including employment, health and residence.

Boboobek Salimzhanov is the General consul of the Kyrgyz Republic in Yekaterinburg.

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