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Svetlana Bessarab, a member of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy, and Veterans’ Affairs, has voiced strong opposition to a proposed bill that seeks to bar labor migrants from bringing their families to Russia. The bill, put forward by deputies from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), targets low-skilled workers without Russian citizenship, suggesting that their families should not be allowed to join them in the country.
Bessarab argues that this initiative is ill-considered and could have detrimental effects. She emphasizes that migrants who follow Russian laws and are seeking to obtain residence permits should be allowed to reunite with their families. According to Bessarab, such a ban could harm Russia’s labor market, which relies on low-skilled workers to fill jobs that are otherwise left unfilled by local citizens.
The LDPR’s proposal is driven by concerns about social integration. Leonid Slutsky, the head of the LDPR, has argued that migrant families often live in isolated communities, speak their own languages, and sometimes display a lack of respect towards local residents. This, he suggests, contributes to social fragmentation.
Bessarab’s critique highlights the tension between the need for foreign labor and the challenges of integrating migrants into Russian society. As the Duma debates this controversial bill, Bessarab’s position underscores the broader debate about balancing economic needs with social cohesion.
The outcome of this legislative discussion will have significant implications for both migrant workers and the broader Russian labor market, reflecting the ongoing struggle to address the complexities of migration and integration policies in Russia.
Credit: A42.RU