From Brain Drain to Brain Gain: Why are Europeans Choosing Russia?
Russia's migration policy is not primarily focused on attracting foreign nationals to the country. However, adopting a proactive and selective migration policy presents tremendous opportunities for our nation to not only attract monetary capital but also human capital. Foreign investors, farmers, and highly skilled professionals are eager to vote for Russia not only with their feet, but invest in it. They see the potential for entering new markets, conducting business in various regions, establishing their own production facilities, and benefiting from favourable tax policies. Many individuals seek to relocate to Russia in order to preserve traditional family structures and uphold their spiritual and moral values. Despite some initiatives to simplify the entry process for foreign personnel in demand, migrants still encounter various challenges. Only those who possess resilience and determination manage to navigate through the bureaucratic complexities to reach their goals. How can we shift our perspective from viewing migrants as a threat to recognizing the opportunities they bring? What motivates foreign farmers, investors, and other professionals to choose a country that has been labelled an “aggressor” by the global media? To what extent is there a demand for foreign labour in Russia, and how can the state, businesses, and society collaborate to facilitate their relocation?
