Report and recommendations on impact of migration on aspects of Russian life
Commercially-based education decisions and the deportation of addicts: The Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights releases its report on migration policy
30.10.2024
Article published on the ASI website
This experts’ report contains several recommendations from members of the Council.
The Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights (HRC) has published a report on Migration Policy and Russia’s National Development Goals. It consists of four parts and assesses the impact of migration on:
- Health care;
- Education;
- The labour market;
- Public safety.
“Migration directly affects not only economic and safety issues but also social policy, the environment and the realisation of citizens’ constitutional rights and freedoms”, says the introduction to the report.
HRC members have made recommendations under each part of the report, covering the issues mentioned above. It should be stressed that in preparing this document, the Council has consulted scientific and civil organisations and authorities, as well as carrying out their own research. The report’s proposals were presented to the Head of the HRC, Valery Fadeyev, on 30 October.
In the section on health care, the HRC plans to make changes to the requirements for medical insurance covering foreigners and their family members entering the country. Among the proposals is to oblige employers to conclude voluntary medical insurance agreements for the duration of a migrant’s employment. A more radical option would be to prohibit migrants from bringing their relatives with them unless they have a guarantee of employment in the Russian Federation and additional insurance.
The HRC also refers to the importance of protecting the health of Russian citizens from serious social diseases such as measles, tuberculosis, unusual or rare diseases for Russian citizens, as well as drug dependency, “the spread of which may be increased by the arrival of migrants”.
“When signs of drug addiction among migrants are detected, medical institutions must inform law enforcement agencies, in particular the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. Officially confirmed diagnoses of drug addiction will be grounds for deporting a foreigner, or denying his or her entry into the country”, the report says.
Another proposal to combat narcotic dependency is to oblige migrants to provide certificates issued by a drug treatment centre from their country of origin.
The HRC says the influx of foreign children with a poor command of the Russian language is a problem in the education sector. Consequently, the Council is recommending that a child’s language abilities be tested before being eligible for school enrolment. If the child fails the exam, he or she should be sent on a language proficiency course.
The report also notes that the availability of kindergartens and schools for children of foreigners is critical for their adaptation. Educational authorities will therefore have to continue to accept the admission of pupils at their parents’ request. However, the Council is aware that the availability of such facilities may only encourage the flow of migrants into the country.
“Places in educational institutions should be prioritised for Russian citizens, so consideration should be given to introducing a commercial basis for providing education to children of foreigners”, says the report.
Council members also noted that families arriving in Russia are not always aware of their parental rights and responsibilities and are therefore recommending that the Federation should introduce a “migrant minimum” of legal knowledge that parents should possess on entering the country.
The full HRC report can be found on: https://t.me/president_sovet/4223
