Russian authorities have tightened migration controls, restricting entry into the country for approximately 200,000 foreign citizens over various violations of Russian legislation.
The figures were presented by Andrei Kikot, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and head of the service responsible for citizenship and registration of foreign nationals, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to Kikot, around 9 million foreign citizens enter Russia annually, while approximately 6 million are currently staying in the country.
He also reported changes concerning the families of foreign nationals living in Russia. The number of unemployed family members of migrants residing in the country has reportedly decreased by about 20%.
At the same time, Russian authorities say the number of labor migrants staying and working in the country legally is increasing.
Officials view this trend as an indication that more foreign workers are formalizing their legal status and complying with Russia’s migration requirements.
