Relationship Between Trends of Highly Qualified Immigration to Russia and Demand of the Russian Labor Market

Abstract

In this article, we have argued that highly qualified worker (HQW) immigration to Russia does not correspond to the demand of the Russian labor market due to an inappropriate established criterion in Russian immigration policy. Our examination of the statistical data of the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation show that there is a high demand for specialists with higher qualifications in the healthcare, education, and science, and technology spheres, while foreign HQWs mainly work in spheres such as real estate, sales, manufacturing, etc. It is therefore clear that HQW immigration to Russia does not fully correlate with the needs of the Russian labor market. Furthermore, the attraction of foreign HQWs is not solving the root cause of the deficit of skilled labor in the country. Moreover, taking into account the rising number of foreign HQWs in Russia and considering possible economic benefits and human capital development, HQW immigration policy should be also furthered in accordance with the balance of supply and demand on the labor market in the context of economic activities and with consideration of the real needs of the economy with regard to specific specialities.