Immigrant quota for Russia retail

[tyovan]

Tough new laws limiting job opportunities for immigrants have been introduced in Russia.

The number of non-Russians working in the retail trade is now being limited to 40%, but by the end of the year that number is supposed to be zero.

Russian police are raiding the country's markets on a daily basis, enforcing quotas on the number of foreigners working in the retail trade.

The new law was proposed after race riots in northern Russia last summer.

President Vladimir Putin spoke of the need to defend the interests of what he called the native population.

Markets - often a source of employment for Russia's army of immigrant workers - were singled out.

Immigration officials say that the new laws have encouraged more foreigners to apply for legal residency status even if they will remain barred from working in retail.

Human rights groups fear that police officers may try to abuse their authority as they carry out their duties.

Immigrant workers, most of them from Central Asia or the Caucasus, share those fears.

They also question who would actually do their often difficult, dangerous and dirty jobs if they did not.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6261897.stm


While I certainly support tightening immigration restrictions (particularly towards a certain country in Latin America), I'm not sure if banning outright immigrants from a certain segment of the economy is the best idea..

[UssuriTiger]

While I certainly support tightening immigration restrictions (particularly towards a certain country in Latin America), I'm not sure if banning outright immigrants from a certain segment of the economy is the best idea..
The markets is one of the sore point in Russia being commonly controlled by ethnic groups from Caucasus mostly Azeri. And I suspect the measure is targeting their source of income. Less money less illegal immigrants.
BTW this measure is taken along with giving of imprecedented quota for acquiring of Russian citizenship.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=166549&Sn=BUSI&IssueID=29293

Moscow to legalise 5m immigrants
MOSCOW: Russia plans to legalise five million foreign workers in an effort to clamp down on a shadow economy that sees billions of dollars leave the country illegally each year, top officials said.
New legislation being prepared by the Russian government is to set a quota of six million legal foreign workers, up from just over one million today, the head of the Federal Labour and Employment Service Maxim Topilin told Moscow Echo radio station.
"Next year, once we receive replies from those who wish to be legalised, we plan to move to a structure of fulfilling the quota based on professions and qualifications," he said.
Of the 1.15m foreigners working legally in Russia today, 180,000 are from China, with most of the rest from the countries of the former Soviet Union, he said.
In 2005, there were 10.2m immigrants working illegally in Russia, the head of the Federal Migration Service Konstantin Romodanovsky told the radio station.
He said around $10 billion is sent out of the country every year by the migrants.
"This money has been earned, but Russia has the right to receive a percentage of the sums leaving the country, like any civilised country," he said. Ideally, Russia would not need any immigrant workers at all "if labour productivity increased by 40 per cent," he said.

[tyovan]

Thanks for the additional information mate! :-)

[Switek]

seems it was shoot in foot...

http://www.kommersant.com/pics/logo.gif


Moscow Govt Calls Migrants Back to Markets

Moscow authorities have annulled the 50-percent market quota introduced for Russia’s farmers, giving the green light to all those willing to trade on the markets, Rossia TV Channel announced.
Moscow government apparently thought better about limiting the number of migrant vendors on the markets. The reasons of the change in the strategy were the empty area and climbing prices blamed on imposing the trading quota there.

The idle area will be covered and the prices on the food markets will decline by 15 percent to 20 percent in the near term, Moscow authorities forecast.

In October of 2006, Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov sealed the ruling to allocate special trading area for Russia’s farmers or companies that bought their product. This move was expected to encourage national producers and relieve the markets of subpurchasers.

In real life, however, the new ruling has materially aggravated the situation. On some markets of Moscow, the trading area is empty by more than 70 percent now.

Kommersant (http://www.kommersant.com/p-10077/empty_market_/)

[Doublethinker]

While I certainly support tightening immigration restrictions (particularly towards a certain country in Latin America), I'm not sure if banning outright immigrants from a certain segment of the economy is the best idea..

If 90% live off this segment - why not?

Although, you are right. I'd prefer banning them from coming to Russia at all, not just banning their work in some segment.

[Doublethinker]

seems it was shoot in foot...

http://www.kommersant.com/pics/logo.gif



Kommersant (http://www.kommersant.com/p-10077/empty_market_/)


Ahh...****. Nothing good to be expected from Putin and his goons, as usual.

[Switek]

Ahh...****. Nothing good to be expected from Putin and his goons, as usual.

This time, I guess the second ones.... ;). Well, someone overzalous made a mistaken decission.

[Flamming_Python]

This time, I guess the second ones.... ;). Well, someone overzalous made a mistaken decission.

What a ****up. In theory it sounds like a descent idea, solving the problem of building up the failing agriculture industry and reducing the amount of illegal immigrants by restricting the places where they can work (markets is by far the dominant job for illegal immigrants).

But in practise, the immigrants are there for a reason, and if there wasn't such a big demand for their goods, they wouldn't be there in the first place. Looks like the domestic Russian agriculture will have to be built up first before such a move can become viable without the risk of hurting ordinary citizen's standards by failing to create an affordable alternative supply of neccessery goods.

On the other hand, this recall only seems to be for Moscow. Perhaps other regions are more successfull.

[Switek]

easy FP, seems that you loose you nerves... ;)

seems that you're immigrant in the country you live in...

[Flamming_Python]

easy FP, seems that you loose you nerves... ;)

seems that you're immigrant in the country you live in...

I'm not quite an illegal immigrant though :D

Myself, I have no particular strong view on this issue. I am fairly neutral towards immigrants, legal or illegal. However, the Moscow authorities did make a screw up, so i'm simply observing.

[Switek]

legal or illegal immigration is secondary matter the key is toleration

[Kaapeli]

Great move. More bribes for the police.
Not going to help with any of the Russias real problems though. But it's a great diversion from the actual problems (lack of democracy and freedom of speech, corruption, civil unrest etc.). Go on and pick on the minorities but it won't fix Russia.

[Doublethinker]

What a ****up. In theory it sounds like a descent idea, solving the problem of building up the failing agriculture industry and reducing the amount of illegal immigrants by restricting the places where they can work (markets is by far the dominant job for illegal immigrants).

But in practise, the immigrants are there for a reason,


Of course, they are here for a reason. They escaped from their native sh1tholes (usually some central asian "independent" republic, like Tajikistan) and are ready to work for a loaf of bread and a glass of water- and that suits the desires of some companies.

[MichaelF]

While I certainly support tightening immigration restrictions (particularly towards a certain country in Latin America), I'm not sure if banning outright immigrants from a certain segment of the economy is the best idea..

It works if you are talking about a field where the employers cannot outsource or move overseas. Retail (which requires people to physically stand in the stores) is one of them.