The more we are criticized, the more people apply to us
ArmInfo’s exclusive interview with Svetlana Stepanova, Head of the
Russian Federal Migration Service Office in Armenia
by David Stepanyan
arminfo
Thursday, September 15, 14:44
Ms. Stepanova, what are the major goals and the results of your
Office’s activity?
The RFMS Office in Armenia will mark its 15th anniversary this year.
The Office provides various services, and first of all, advisory
services on the migration legislation of the Russian Federation, new
rules of residence, labor etc. The State Program to Assist Voluntary
Repatriation of Russian Compatriots from abroad was launched in the
country in 2007. Since there are almost no ethnic Russians in Armenia,
our applicants are mostly Armenians- citizens of the Republic of
Armenia. Our Service has offices in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan,
Turkmenistan, Latvia, Moldova and Ukraine. It is a world practice and
our activity fully meets it without any reservations.
Let’s talk of the specific goals of the State Program…
The major goal of the State Program we are implementing in Armenia is
to assist the citizens, our compatriots, who have made a decision to
obtain permanent residency in Russia. At present over 30 regions of
Russia receive compatriots. We receive job vacancies from every
region. A potential migrant visiting us selects a region and a job
vacancy, and fills a form. We are criticized for allegedly settling
Siberia, North and Far East by means of the State Program. The program
covers almost all the regions of Russia in the West, Central District,
Ural, Siberia, Far East.
What are the statistics of emigrants and geography of their settlement
in Russia?
úÁ ÞÅÔÙÒÅ ÇÏÄÁ ÒÅÁÌÉÚÁÃÉÉ ÇÏÓÐÒÏÇÒÁÍÍÙ × áÒÍÅÎÉÉ Ë ÎÁÍ ÏÒÁÔÉÌÉÓØ ÚÁ
ËÏÎÓÕÌØÔÁÃÉÅÊ 31656 ÞÅÌÏ×ÅË. áÎËÅÔ ÎÁÍÉ ÙÌÏ ÐÒÉÎÑÔÏ 3587, ÞÉÓÌÏ
×ÙÄÁÎÎÙÈ Ó×ÉÄÅÔÅÌØÓÔ× – 1104, ×ÓÅÇÏ ÖÅ × òÏÓÓÉÀ ÎÁ ÐÏÓÔÏÑÎÎÏÅ ÍÅÓÔÏ
ÖÉÔÅÌØÓÔ×Á ×ÙÅÈÁÌÏ 2166 ÞÅÌÏ×ÅË, ÒÅÞØ ÉÄÅÔ Ï ÕÞÁÓÔÎÉËÁÈ ÐÒÏÇÒÁÍÍÙ É
ÉÈ ÓÅÍØÑÈ. èÏÞÕ ÕÔÏÞÎÉÔØ: ÍÙ ÐÒÉÎÉÍÁÅÍ ÚÁÑ×ÌÅÎÉÑ ÎÁ ÐÅÒÅÓÅÌÅÎÉÅ ÎÁ
ÐÏÓÔÏÑÎÎÏÅ ÍÅÓÔÏ ÖÉÔÅÌØÓÔ×Á × òÏÓÓÉÀ, Á ÎÅ ×ÒÅÍÅÎÎÏ. ÷ ÏÓÎÏ×ÎÏÍ
ÇÒÁÖÄÁÎÅ áÒÍÅÎÉÉ ÐÒÅÄÐÏÞÉÔÁÌÉ ëÁÌÉÎÉÎÇÒÁÄ, Á ÓÅÊÞÁÓ ÐÏÌØÚÕÀÔÓÑ
ÓÐÒÏÓÏÍ ëÁÌÕÇÁ, ìÉÐÅÃË, ÷ÏÒÏÎÅÖ. ôÁËÖÅ ÐÏÐÕÌÑÒÎÙÍÉ × ÐÏÓÌÅÄÎÅÅ ×ÒÅÍÑ
ÓÔÁÌÉ É ÒÅÇÉÏÎÙ ðÒÉÍÏÒØÑ, îÏ×ÏÓÉÉÒÓËÏÇÏ, èÁÁÒÏ×ÓËÏÇÏ ËÒÁÅ×,
å×ÒÅÊÓËÏÊ Á×ÔÏÎÏÍÎÏÊ ÏÌÁÓÔÉ.
In general, 31656 people applied to the Service for consultation over
the four year of the state program’s implementation in Armenia. A
total of 1104 people were provided with certificates and 2166 people
moved to Russia for permanent residence, she said and added that the
Russian Federal Migration Service Office in Armenia receives only the
applications for permanent but not temporary residence in Russia.
Armenian citizens chiefly preferred Kaliningrad, but at present they
prefer Kaluga, Lipetsk and Voronezsh. The regions of Premorye,
Novosibirsk, Khabarovsk and Jewish Autonomous Region have also become
popular for the last period of time.
What is the reason of the local Mass Media’s propaganda against your Office?
I do not understand the goal of such statements. They are incompetent,
groundless and speculative. I see even certain anti-Russian subtext in
that criticism. Taking advantage of the moment, I’d like to ask those
who make such anti-propaganda. What is you goal and what do you want?
What specialties and professions are in demand in Russia?
Physicians and teachers are highly in demand in the Russian regions.
There is also need for builders, engineers, workers and others
specialists. The remuneration salary shown in the base of vacancies
may change depending on the qualification and abilities of a person.
We are following the fate of our beneficiaries-migrants. After
resettlement the participants of the State Program are naturalized in
Russia in a half-year as a rule and they continue building their life
just as the other citizens of Russia.
þÔÏ ÷Ù ÄÕÍÁÅÔÅ ÐÏ ÐÏ×ÏÄÕ ÔÁË ÎÁÚÙ×ÁÅÍÏÊ “ÕÔÅÞËÉ ÍÏÚÇÏ×”, ÅÓÔØ ÌÉ ÓÒÅÄÉ
ÎÁÛÉÈ ÍÉÇÒÁÎÔÏ× ÌÀÄÉ – ×ÙÓÏËÏË×ÁÌÉÆÉÃÉÒÏ×ÁÎÎÙÅ ÓÐÅÃÉÁÌÉÓÔÙ?
What do you think of the so-called “brain drain” from Armenia to
Russia? Are there any highly qualified specialists among our migrants?
First of all, professionals are in demand everywhere, including
Russia. Has anyone calculated how many highly qualified specialists
from Armenia leave for Europe and the USA? Yes, the nature of
relations between Armenia and Russia is “easy”. I don’t think it is
bad. I am sure, Armenia would like have the non-visa regime with
European Union as well. I don’t think that those who write critical
articles about our representation would like to have visa obstacles
between Russia and Armenia just the same way as Russia has with
Georgia. Actually, within the frames of the state program 44% of
people with higher education left Armenia for Russia, 30% – with
secondary technical trading and 25% – with secondary education. For
this reason, I think there is no need to assess it like “brain drain”.
Are there any age restrictions for applicants?
The State Program involves people at working age. At present, 27% of
emigrants from Armenia are people under 30, 55% are people at the age
of 30-50 and the remaining 18% are people above 50.
When the program will be completed and will it be extended?
The State Program will be completed till the end of 2012. But our
Office will continue working also after competition of the program. We
hope to boost organized attraction of labor migrants to Russia. A
Russian-Armenian Working Group was set up last year to develop a
relevant intergovernmental agreement. As soon as the agreement is
coordinated and signed, the RFMS Office in Armenia will be involved in
organized attraction of labor migrants to specific companies in Russia
and provide working permit also in Armenia. Thanks to such selection,
all the labor migrants will get legal protection, medical insurance
and an opportunity of legal work at any company in Russia. As regards
extension of the State Program, it requires a state decision. We just
fulfill the tasks set to us and provide specific assistance to the
people applying to our Office.