Conditions Of Entry: Changes In Immigration Laws In
Russia To Impact Armenian Labor Movements
GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter - 13/1/2015
The recent changes in the Russian migration laws specify that foreigners
who violated the legal duration of their stay will be banned from entering
Russia. This has created new problems for some Armenian migrant workers
earning their living in Russia, which, in its turn, according to
specialists, will have its impact on the Armenian economy, as the latter
also depends on remittances wired by these workers in Russia back home.
According to the new law in force since January 10, those who remain in
Russia 120 days longer than allowed by current immigration norms will be
banned from entry to the country for three years, in case of overstaying by
270 days, the ban will be for five years, in case of more than 360 days -
ten years.
And foreigners entering Russia without a visa can stay in the country no
more than 90 days during a period of 180 days.
According to ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan, these restrictions will have a
negative impact both on the Armenians and on the general economy of the
country.
"This year the volume of Armenian migrant labor will significantly
decrease. The picture will be more vivid in February-March - during the
season of migrant labor. And the decrease of this migration will affect not
only individual families' life, but also the GDP of the country, because at
least one-third of the Armenian population does trade, uses services in
Armenia with the means brought from Russia, thus trade and the opportunity
of using services will decrease because we are not a manufacturing country,
but a trading one," the ethnographer says.
However, candidate of economic sciences, docent Vilen Khachatryan
hinks that even though the decrease of transfers will be noticeable,
here will be no slump.
"The Russian economy has always had the need in cheap labor, there are
studies showing that migrants' work is cheaper for Russia than the locals',
thus I think that it will not be that easy for Russia to give up cheap
labor," Khachatryan told ArmeniaNow, adding that even if transfers did not
decrease they would be devaluated, because the Russian ruble is
devaluating.
According to the economist, the bad condition the Russian economy is in has
a more negative impact on Armenian migration than the changes of
immigration law.
Head of Russia's Federal Migration Service Konstantin Ramadanovski warned
that upon the new restrictions for more than one million foreigners entry
to Russia might be banned for up to 10 years.
According to Ramadanovski, most of illegal residents in Russia are fro
former Soviet countries, however it is not yet clear how many Armenian
citizens will be in that list. And despite Armenian membership in the
Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), it is said that the restrictions will