Attracting skilled labour to the North: Migration loss and policy implications across Russia’s diverse Arctic regions

Abstract

This paper identifies education, skills training and improved social infrastructure as key development issues to address population decline in regions of steady out-migration from the Russian Arctic. Migration flows have mostly stabilised after the sharp and unexpectedly large population decline in the Arctic in the 1990s, during the transition to a market economy. However, the trends set in motion during that collapse, including falling general levels of education, declining size of all but the largest cities, and ageing of the populace, are becoming more serious for some regions, even where government resettlement programmes exist. As young professionals continue to leave, resettling compatriots and hiring shift labour may contribute to the vitality of more resilient regions, for example, Krasnoyarsk and Yamalo-Nenets. However, the European part of the Russian Arctic, despite its critical importance to commerce and to military security, and despite assistance programmes and subsidies, is conforming more to the ageing, less productive contours of neighbouring Arctic states on the periphery of Europe.

Pension Reform And Demographic Processes In The Arctic Regions

“…Thus, our research shows that in Russia, the pension reform has a very different effect on Russia's regions, mainly the differences are manifested in the reaction of regional demographic processes (Baranov et al, 2020). The Russian Arctic is a specific region characterized by significant medical and demographic problems -a decrease in the population, low life expectancy, and an excess of morbidity of Arctic residents in a whole list of diseases in comparison with the national situation (Khoreva et al, 2018). However, the specifics of socio-economic and demographic processes in the Russian Arctic in the context of retirement age changes are not reflected in the scientific literature.…”

“…The harsh climatic conditions of the Arctic, the increased need for vitamins and food, the low availability of medical services for the Arctic population, and the lower quality of life in comparison with all-Russian conditions create the specifics of demographic processes in the Arctic (Khoreva et al, 2018;. The pension system in Russia traditionally takes this specificity into account.…”

Rural Population Dynamics in the Russian Extreme North IN 1989–2019: A Case Of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)

“…Population dynamics in Anabarsky and Namsky uluses (districts) were analysed based on data presented in their socio-economic development programmes available at the official municipalities' websites. The authors also used the results of their surveys of rural settlements conducted during field research in 2017 in Namsky ulus (all authors), and in Amginsky, Gorny, Verkhnevilyuisky, Oleneksky, Suntarsky, Churapchinsky, Ust-Aldansky and Eveno-Bytantaysky uluses in 2008-2018.…”

“…The Russian Extreme North 1 is mostly located north of the Arctic Circle and has recently attracted a lot of attention due to its rapid population decline (Arctic…2014; Orttung 2017; Khoreva et al 2018;etc.). Certain Far East regions, such as Chukotka and Magadan, have experienced a severe population outflow.…”

Problems Of Pensioners And Other Residents Of The Russian Arctic Monotowns

“…Another factor aggravating the problem of Arctic monotowns is climatic. Single-industry towns are located in high latitudes, characterized by low temperatures and short summers (Howe et al, 2014;Khoreva et al, 2018). Attracting skilled labour to the North: Migration loss and policy implications across Russia's diverse Arctic regions.…”