Migrant Workers in Russia

Russia has a very large pool of economic migrants. Although many migrants entered Russia legally, they frequently face bureaucratic obstacles to legal employment and Russian citizenship, factors which have led to a very large "shadow economy". This book presents a comprehensive examination of migrant labour in Russia. It describes the nature of migrant labour, explores the shadow economy and its unfortunate consequences, and discusses the rise of popular sentiment against migrants. The book also sets the Russian experiences of migrant labour in context, comparing Russia's situation with other countries with significant migrant workforces.

Anna-Liisa Heusala is a Senior Researcher in the Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki, Finland. Kaarina Aitamurto is a Researcher in the Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki, Finland.

1. Introduction: Russian Societal Transformation and Migrant Workers in the Shadow Economy 2. Migration policies in Russia: laws and debates 3. Russian Foreign Policy and Migrant Workers 4. Beyond Conjunctures of Russiäs National Future: Migrants and Refugees in Russiäs Political Discourse in 2013 and 2014 5. Migration and Transnational Informality in Post-Soviet Societies: Ethnographic Study of Po rukam ('Handshake') Experiences of Uzbek Migrant Workers in Moscow 6. Between Exploitation and Expulsion: Labour Migration, Shadow Economy, and Organized Crime 7. Religion and Discussions about the Integration of Migrants 8. Implications of Migration for the Development of Russian Social Policy 9. Conclusions: Societal and Political Consequences of the Shadow Economy in Russia