The Impact of International Labor Migration on the Balance in Regional Labor Markets

Abstract

In recent years, the demand in the Russian labor market continues to grow, while the labor force, which determines the supply, on the contrary, is declining. In the current situation, business points to the desirability of expanding the involvement of migrant workers, but government officials express concerns that this might create a threat to the employment of Russian citizens. The purpose of this study is to determine the contribution of external labor migration to the formation of the labor force in Russian regions, considering the specifics of the reproduction of local labor resources. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the analysis of the latest statistical data on external labor migration and labor markets detailing by regions of Russia. The authors pay special attention not only to the quantitative characteristics of the flow of foreign workers, but also to the quality indicators of these labor resources. The relevance of the study is due to changes in the labor markets balance and migration trends and under the influence of powerful stress factors in recent years, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of a special military operation, and a new wave of sanctions. The empirical basis of the study is an array of official statistics, for the analysis of which standard statistical methods are applied. Based on the results obtained, the authors discuss the effectiveness of modern federal and regional migration policies. In conclusion, the results of the study are summed up and possible directions for improving instruments for managing the movement of foreign labor are identified. The authors conclude that today the system for regulating the mobility of labor resources does not ensure that their supply meets the changing needs of the labor market, and justify the need to develop a selective system for attracting labor migrants.