Official: Foreigners cannot expect permanent residency in Russia PHOTO

Migration of foreign nationals is no longer considered by Russian authorities as a tool to address demographic challenges, said Alexander Grebenkin, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

He made the remarks commenting on the new state migration policy concept for 2026–2030.

Grebenkin noted that migration is now defined solely as an additional tool for addressing economic objectives. Among the key changes are measures aimed at preventing the formation of isolated ethnic enclaves in the regions.

According to him, foreigners cannot expect permanent residence in Russia without sufficient grounds. Once their legal stay expires, they will be required to leave the country, and additional restrictions will apply to family members who are neither working nor studying.

In the field of labour migration, the focus will be on transparency and control of foreign workforce recruitment processes, as well as the development of organised recruitment schemes. Such work is already underway with Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, Grebenkin added.

He emphasised that the new concept directly links migration policy to national security, making it a key guiding principle.

By Khagan Isayev