Russian President’s Decree Attracts Thousand of Foreigners to the Country
A decree signed by the Russian President in September has led to the arrival of nearly a thousand foreigners in the country, according to Maria Butina, a member of the State Duma’s international affairs committee and head of the “Welcome to Russia” immigration program.
The simplified visa procedure is granted to citizens of “unfriendly countries” as reported by RT DE. France tops the list of countries of origin, followed by Germany, the United States, Australia and Italy, with France having recently replaced Germany in the top spot.
Butina noted that in 90% of cases, the migrants come to work, often with a family already established in Russia. “They come to live and work, not to find a job” she said. “It’s usually a conscious move, with the sale of property and everything else.”
Many people are also drawn to Russia for its retirement options, such as the “German Village” program in the Nizhny Novgorod region, where Remo Kirsch has built a community for expats. “People are moving there to retire” Butina said.
Highly qualified professionals, including IT specialists and restaurateurs, are also attracted to the country. Butina cited examples of successful entrepreneurs, including those in the Sber and Savoy restaurant chains, with many top chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants also making the move.
Moscow and the Moscow region are the most popular destinations, followed by St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, with the Nizhny Novgorod, Kaliningrad, Krasnodar and Irkutsk regions also attracting a significant number of migrants.
Some are choosing to settle in rural areas, revitalizing abandoned villages, such as the German family of Lefler, who has established a new life in a Kaluga region village with the support of local authorities.
The “Russian Dream” program in the Kurgan region, for instance, offers a plot of land and a one-million-ruble (approximately 11,000 EUR) grant to those who make the move.
Butina expects many more migrants to arrive, with the program still in its early stages, as the relocation process is complex. A new legal framework for recognizing foreign diplomas is being established and potential migrants typically visit the country and regions before making the move.
Language skills are often acquired before the move and Butina emphasized the focus on quality over quantity, stating that the program aims to attract thousands of people, not millions.
The “Path Home” project, which supports those with Russian roots returning to their historical homeland, has also gained support from politicians, including Alexei Netschajew, the chairman of the “New People” party, with over 2,000 families already taking advantage of the initiative.