The State Program for Voluntary Resettlement of Compatriots: Ideals of Citizenship, Membership, and Statehood in the Russian Federation

Abstract

The State Program for Voluntary Resettlement of Compatriots Abroad was launched in 2006/2007 as a strategy to attract new citizens who were already fluent in Russian and accustomed to Russian culture, in a situation of gloomy demographic prospects. During its first years of existence the program proved quite inefficient, but in 2012–13 it was revised to become more attractive and extended to include more Federal Subjects (now 58). Whereas in September 2012 RIA Novosti reported that there had been 80,000 repatriates since the start of the program, the FMS (the Federal Migration Service) stated in 2014 that more than 200,000 compatriots had been resettled. The paper focuses on this period of revival and investigates what the discussions and representations of the State Program in Russian public discourse reveal about ideals of citizenship, membership, and statehood in Russia. Discourse analysis is combined with references to theoretical debates on states’ policies of inclusion and exclusion. Researchers have already pointed to the concept of “compatriots” as ambiguous, because it only vaguely defines who the program is open for. Even though the initial aim of the program was to secure economic development in the regions and improve the demographic situation in the country, it clearly intervenes in other discourses that relate to the image of the Russian nation and the boundaries of the imagined “we.” One is the idea of Russia as the historical homeland of “compatriots,” and connected to this the idea that “compatriots” are discriminated against in other countries and therefore implicitly want to return to Russia. The debates also bear witness to an explicit dichotomy between “compatriots” and “migrants,” where “migrants” are construed as unqualified, unwanted and not rightfully belonging in the country, whereas “compatriots” are skilled and desired labor, easy to include into the Russian “community of value.” From spring 2014 onwards, the State Program became an issue also in relation to refugees from Ukraine who fled to Russia during the escalating conflict and war. This study shows how at that point the State Program suddenly turned into a means of effective integration of Ukrainian refugees–“compatriots.” I argue that although in the media representations the program acquires several other functions, the pragmatic aspect–Russia wanting to attract skilled labor–is present throughout and stands out as the most important.

Class dynamics in Tajikistan: Development of urban middle class at the intersection of migration and capital

“…Launched in 2006, the programme aims to "facilitate voluntary resettlement of compatriots living overseas to the Russian Federation and is one of the priorities for improving migration policy of the Russian Federation" (Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation[MIARF], 2019). The concept of compatriots, broadly defined as individuals "raised in traditions of the Russian culture and having a good command of the Russian language" (MIARF, 2019), creates an institutionalised ambiguity by developing a legal formula able to accommodate a broad range of policy objectives and attitudes Russia has or can have in the future toward the population of the post-Soviet space(Myhre, 2017;Shevel, 2011).…”

Forced migrant “compatriots” from Ukraine: Accessing legal residency and citizenship in the Russian Federation

“…As stated in the program document: "Compatriots, raised in Russian cultural traditions, who speak Russian and who do not want to lose their ties to Russia, are more capable of adapting to the host society and taking part in its system of positive social networks" (Gosudarstvennaia programma 2006 and 2012). Thus, despite the clearly stated preference for "public relatives", the criteria of acceptance are quite pragmatic and potentially selective, stressing the ability to work and the possession of skills(Myhre 2017). After being admitted to this program, participants and their family members may apply for a temporary residence permit (TRP) outside the otherwise limited quotas.…”