(Reuters) – Russia seeks to expand its pool of migrant workers beyond the ex-Soviet republics to Asian nations, including Myanmar, Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov mentioned in a report by Interfax on Tuesday. With unemployment sitting at a historically low 2.3%, President Vladimir Putin has highlighted labor shortages as a pressing issue. Recently, steel producer Severstal criticized a regional decision to prohibit migrant workers in the construction sector. Traditionally, migrants from former Soviet Union countries have predominantly made up Russia’s migrant workforce.
Reshetnikov, speaking before the lower house of parliament, emphasized the necessity to broaden the scope of countries from which migrants are recruited. “We should not solely focus on the nations we are accustomed to attracting migrants from,” he stated. “We must explore entirely new countries, as many countries worldwide are actively, quietly, and intentionally exporting their labor force. We must be prepared for this.”
In ongoing discussions, Russia is engaging with Myanmar, Reshetnikov revealed, a country with approximately 6 million of its 55 million population working abroad. Putin is set to hold discussions with Myanmar’s leader and military head, Min Aung Hlaing, at the Kremlin on Tuesday. The armed forces and defense industries’ aggressive recruitment drives have resulted in the migration of workers from civilian enterprises, leading to hundreds of thousands of Russians leaving the country since the deployment of tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in February 2022.
Workers from Central Asia have reported an escalating sense of animosity towards them in Russia following an attack by Islamist militants from Tajikistan at a concert venue near Moscow in March 2024, resulting in the tragic loss of 145 lives. “We acknowledge that without effective migration regulation, it will be extremely challenging for us to progress and meet the labor demand in the market. We must openly address and discuss these matters,” Reshetnikov underscored.
Alongside China, Russia stands as a supporter of Myanmar’s military, with both countries jointly vetoing a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning alleged human rights violations in Myanmar. (Reporting by Darya Korsunskaya; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
