“Economic collapse of Russia certainly has an impact on Armenia’s temporary and seasonal migration”, responded Hranush Kharatyan in response to the question of Aravot.am of how the toughening of Russia’s immigration laws may affect the migration from Armenia.
Note that according to toughening of the laws, an embargo of access to Russia is imposed against the foreigners who would violate the period of legal residency. In particular, those who would stay in Russia 120 days more than the defined period, they will be deprived of the right to enter the country over 3 years, in case of illegal stay of 270 days, the prohibition period is 5 years, and in case of more than 360 days, the prohibition period is 10 years. According to the law, foreigners who have entered Russia without a visa can stay in the country not more than 90 days within 180 days. Mrs. Kharatyan mentioned that now the reflection of these toughening is already observed in Armenia. In particular, she said that she knows people who are still waiting; they do not know whether they can go to work or not, they are looking for work again abroad, but not in Russia. Mrs. Kharatyan said, “This year, the labor semi-migration will be considerable reduced.”
To our clarification of whether in fact the number of migrant workers from Armenia to Russia will drop, Mrs. Kharatyan responded, “Yes, it will drop. Now, I know specific people who seek for opportunities to work abroad in other countries. The picture will be more clear during February and March, during the season of migrant labor when the time for leaving for job comes. Hence, as I understand and see, there are still no large and significant projects for Armenia’s usual emigrants.” Mrs. Kharatyan is not sure whether the new law implies to peoples of EaEU countries, but as far as she knows, normal employment contracts can be concluded within the EaEU. According to Mrs. Kharatyan, if that’s the case, then it is not the law that should have an impact on the logic of migration. But, on the other hand, the majority of migrants from Armenia was working in Russia without the employment contracts. Hranush Kharatyan thinks that the economic situation in Russia has a greater impact of migration from Armenia than the new law on migration.
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To our observation that based on these changes and in the result of reduction in the number of migrant workers from Armenia, whether it is possible to register a reduction of living standards in Armenia and growth of poverty index, Mrs. Kharatyan replied, “It will affect not only the living conditions of individual families, but also on the total gross domestic product. At least ½ of the population in Armenia does shopping in Armenia and uses the services with the money brought from Russia, therefore, the trade will fall and the access to services will be reduced, because we are not a producing country, but a commercial one. This sad and low standard of living in Armenia can desperately equal to zero in many places.”
Turning to the poverty index, Mrs. Kharatyan mentioned that the poverty in Armenia is much deeper and extensive than they are formally presented. Making predictions, she said, “The actual situation for the poor will become worse. The poor will fall into extreme poor, the average or non-poor will fall into the group of the poor.” To the question of whether the Russian immigration toughening have also a political objectives, Mrs. Kharatyan found it difficult to give a clear estimation given the fact that Russia now faces serious demographic problems.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
