The Uzbek diaspora of Krasnoyarsk Krai is successfully cooperating with the Federal Migration Service (FMS) in the legalization of migrants.

As is well known, new laws regulating the legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation came into effect in January 2007. These laws significantly simplified the registration of migrants and the process of obtaining work permits. An event of great importance is that a significant number of migrants were given the opportunity to legalize their status. In several regions of Russia, with the support of national communities, extensive work is being done to provide legal assistance to people from other countries, primarily from Central Asia.

It seems strange that despite the availability of effective tools to simplify the situation for foreign citizens, some national-cultural associations find themselves in difficult circumstances. We have already written about the problems faced by the Uzbek community in Tomsk.

Today, Ferghana.Ru offers its readers a positive example from the Uzbek diaspora in Krasnoyarsk. The national-cultural association “Dustlik” actively cooperates with local regulatory authorities, particularly the Federal Migration Service (FMS), working together to address issues related to bringing labor migrants into the legal framework. Some challenges exist only because the new laws have not yet been fully developed, and explanations and subordinate regulations are still lacking.

Using the example of the Krasnoyarsk community, we want to show how complex issues can find solutions, and we express hope that the Uzbek community in Tomsk will also be able to find ways to cooperate with regulatory authorities.

“DUSTLIK” WILL SUPPORT AND HELP

According to Zafar Safarov, Deputy Chairman of the NGO “Dustlik,” the association was founded in 1996. “At the time of its founding, our primary goals were to preserve our national values and Uzbek customs. We wanted to meet regularly and hold joint events. A lot has changed since then. There were years when all we did was send deceased Uzbeks back home,” recalls Zafar Safarov. “There were cases when employers deceived our guys, even killed them. That doesn’t happen anymore; throughout Russia, there is now a trend toward stabilization.”

Ferghana.Ru: — Nevertheless, in some regions of the country, particularly in Moscow, there has been an increase in murders motivated by ethnic hatred.

Z. Safarov: — Krasnoyarsk Krai is very tolerant in this regard. The local administration works effectively, and overall, things are calmer here. After all, this is Siberia — the people here are different. I believe we are treated quite well. Of course, we don’t take into account the occasional desire of rank-and-file police officers to extort money from migrants from Central Asia — that’s just the reality of the job.

Ferghana.Ru: — What does the current structure of “Dustlik” look like?

Z. Safarov: — The association has a chairman — that’s me, Ziyadullo Safarovich Safarov — and several deputies, each working in their own area. We also have our own national ensemble.

Ferghana.Ru: — Have you been able to fulfill the original goals of the association, such as preserving Uzbek culture, customs, and so forth?

Z. Safarov: — Yes, absolutely. Every year we celebrate Navruz and Kurban-Khait (holidays officially observed in Uzbekistan — editor’s note). Community members gather together, we share pilaf with city residents, and we talk about our national customs. After all, not everyone really knows what Uzbekistan is all about. At our celebrations, we showcase traditional clothing, and starting next year, we plan to begin performances by our music group. Usually, a large crowd attends the festivities.

Ferghana.Ru: — According to your estimates, how many people from Uzbekistan currently live in Krasnoyarsk Krai?

Z. Safarov: — We don’t have exact figures, but by our estimates, about ten thousand.

Ferghana.Ru: — What is happening with illegal migration, and what role does the community play in legalizing migrants?

Z. Safarov: — This year, about sixty percent of undocumented migrants have come out of the shadows. We conduct extensive educational work among migrants. Representatives of “Dustlik” visit places where migrants work in large numbers and explain that it’s much better to obtain work permits so they can work peacefully and receive their wages without problems. People listen and try to get the necessary documents. There was a time when we even paid the state fee for them on the condition they would repay us after their first paycheck.

When buses arrive in Krasnoyarsk carrying labor migrants from Uzbekistan, we find the group leader and suggest submitting applications for work permits for the newcomers. If he wants, we help fill out all the necessary paperwork. Otherwise, he can act on his own, and we simply direct him to where to submit the documents.

We provide legal education, explaining migrants’ rights and responsibilities under Russian law. Our community has a qualified lawyer who prepares documents and conducts outreach with migrants.

We created the Krasnoyarsk Migration Labor Exchange “Druzhba” and the “Dustlik” Consultation and Adaptation Center (CAC). The CAC is headed by Zhanna Tamozhikova, a qualified lawyer and former FMS employee in the Sosnovoborsk district. The CAC advises people on all issues related to document processing, obtaining temporary residence permits, and Russian citizenship. The Exchange was established in March 2007 and helps migrants find jobs. The organization acts as an official host and employs incoming labor migrants, overseeing employment contracts. Since many migrants from Uzbekistan arrive completely unprepared and unskilled, often from rural villages, we conduct preliminary training — for example, we have agreements with construction technical schools that train migrants in up to two months. After training, we make contracts with employers and can offer them trained workers who will become skilled professionals on the job.

Ferghana.Ru: — In which industries do Uzbeks working in Krasnoyarsk Krai find employment?

Z. Safarov: — Our compatriots work in many places — construction sites, forestry enterprises, and the service sector.

Ferghana.Ru: — What kind of wages do they earn, for example, on construction sites?

Z. Safarov: — Pay starts at about $300 USD for general laborers. On average, wages range from $600 to $800.

Ferghana.Ru: — Do you have any means of influencing employers who delay or withhold wages?

Z. Safarov: — If problems arise, employers usually prefer to settle the matter before it goes to court. The community has excellent relations with the FMS, which we can always notify about such violations. The Labor Migrants’ Union “Sodruzhestvo” was created to help resolve difficult issues.

Ferghana.Ru: — Where do migrants from Uzbekistan live? Does the community help them find housing, or do they arrange it themselves?

Z. Safarov: — Mostly, they rent rooms, trying to live near large markets. Construction workers often live in trailers directly on construction sites. Migrants who come with their families rent apartments. Their children attend nearby schools. For example, in the Leninsky district, where many migrants live, many work at the market, and there are national cuisine establishments and so on. Now housing and utilities companies have begun hiring migrants, mostly women who work as cleaners in apartment buildings. Large stores, hypermarkets, and supermarkets mostly employ people from Central Asia because Russians don’t want these jobs due to the low wages — about $200–$250.

Ferghana.Ru: — How does the local population treat migrants from Uzbekistan?

Z. Safarov: — Ordinary people are friendly. But losers and slackers blame migrants for their own troubles.

Ferghana.Ru: — Do you think labor migrants should learn Russian?

Z. Safarov: — I insist that migrants learn Russian. I even recommend they speak Russian among themselves. After a year working in Russia, any Uzbek can communicate quite well in Russian.

Ferghana.Ru: — How does the Uzbek community interact with official regional administration bodies?

Z. Safarov: — Credit is due to the regional leadership and the Federal Migration Service for starting the legalization of labor migrants back in 2003. We saw a political will to improve the situation for incoming workers. The new FMS leadership is also ready to work constructively. The deputy governor of the region for economics, Edkham Shukrievich Akbulatov, has done a lot to get the legalization process moving again.

Ferghana.Ru: — So there is an understanding at the regional leadership level that migrants are needed?

Z. Safarov: — Yes, overall we have mutual understanding. It’s always possible to hold meetings in any format and discuss outstanding issues.

Ferghana.Ru: — What has changed since the new laws came into effect in January 2007? I imagine the number of consultations and the volume of work have increased significantly?

Z. Safarov: — Certainly. However, I want to point out that to this day, there are no clarifications or implementing regulations regarding the new laws. Because of this, we sometimes face difficulties due to contradictory interpretations of the legislation. For example, the law states that a legal entity (such as a national cultural association) can act as a host party for incoming migrants. At the same time, we are not obliged to provide them housing, but we do have information about their place of residence. Nevertheless, the migration control department within the Federal Migration Service (FMS) disagrees with this, and we regularly face inspections, sometimes with attempts to initiate a range of administrative violations against us. Because of this, we believe it’s extremely important that the law be interpreted unambiguously. This would help us avoid conflicts with regulatory authorities going forward.

UZBEKS GAVE A WAY OUT OF THE DEADLOCK

It is interesting to note that the “Dustlik” Consultation and Adaptation Center provides legal assistance not only to Uzbek citizens. Let’s hear the story of T., who for five years was unable to obtain Russian citizenship despite having every legal basis to do so.

“I was born in Crimea to a family of a Soviet officer; later my father was transferred to serve in Kamchatka, and our family moved there as well. When I was in tenth grade, my family returned to Crimea. To apply to university, I obtained a Ukrainian passport. Back in 1995, it seemed unimportant what citizenship you had. We lived with old Soviet ideas of open borders and brotherhood among republics.

After studying at university for three years, I decided to return to my family in Kamchatka because unrest related to the Tatar question began in Crimea. So I lived in Kamchatka in a restricted area—the submarine base zone—with a passport from another country. Everything was fine until Russian laws became stricter.

In 2000, I moved to Krasnoyarsk where my father had friends. I expected to get Russian citizenship, but it turned out to be extremely difficult. They demanded a migration card from me, even though when I returned from Ukraine, such laws didn’t exist yet. But no one wanted to listen, and I was told to leave the country and come back with a new migration card. This would have meant losing my advantage of having lived continuously in the country for five years. The situation seemed hopeless. Everyone in my family are Russian citizens, and my father is in the military. It seemed I had every right to expedited citizenship, but no one at the passport office wanted to hear about it. Officially, I wasn’t refused, but I was sent in endless circles gathering certificates and documents. In 2003, it took me six months just to collect these documents, and in the process, I risked losing my job and livelihood.

My struggles to obtain citizenship lasted from 2002. After four years, I turned to Dustlik. There, after hearing my story, they suggested choosing the general citizenship application process, without benefits. They provided legal assistance and directed me exactly where to get the necessary documents. Each step resulted in new documents and certificates, and every one counted. As a result, I obtained a temporary residence permit, and in six months, I expect to receive Russian citizenship.”

Editor’s note: Unfortunately, T.’s case is far from unique. Among many such stories, the most striking involve military personnel who could not obtain citizenship for years, only to have their issues resolved by a presidential hotline intervention.

Is it really impossible to get citizenship with every legal right to it? T.’s story clearly shows it’s extremely difficult. Without help from qualified lawyers, ordinary people often simply cannot navigate the bureaucratic “circles of hell.”

EXPERT OPINION

Usually, specialized departments exist within the administrations of Russian regions to work with national cultural associations. In Krasnoyarsk Krai, this is the Department for Nationalities and Religions within the Public Relations Administration of the Regional Government. We present the expert opinion of Rashit Rafikov, head of the department, on migration issues.

Ferghana.Ru: — Rashit Gizzatovich, what national associations are represented in Krasnoyarsk Krai?

R. Rafikov: — The total number of officially registered national cultural associations in Krasnoyarsk Krai reaches seventy, but more than sixty are actively working.

Ferghana.Ru: — How do you assess the changes in migration processes that have occurred this year?

R. Rafikov: — It’s worth noting that previously, according to various expert estimates, there were six to eight undocumented migrants for every one legal migrant. Currently, the situation has changed drastically: there is now only one undocumented migrant for every two legal ones.

Undoubtedly, the large scale of labor migration brings certain challenges that need to be addressed. In particular, there is dissatisfaction among the local population, who feel that the influx of foreign workers drives down wages and displaces locals from some jobs. A clear example is in certain construction trades like painters and plasterers.

However, it’s no secret that Krasnoyarsk Krai will increasingly require labor resources going forward, as mining enterprises develop and new deposits are exploited, alongside infrastructure growth. Therefore, the region will continue to attract people from other areas—active individuals capable of working and earning. Naturally, some local residents may resent migrants who earn significantly more than they do.

Ferghana.Ru: — How can this problem be resolved?

R. Rafikov: — It’s necessary to raise the level of tolerance and involve regional media and institutions at various levels. National diasporas have a responsibility for their compatriots and should engage in educational work with migrants, explaining the cultural and social norms of the host country. This will reduce unnecessary risks and help prevent xenophobic incidents, both religious and ethnic.

Typically, migrants prefer settling in large cities, primarily Krasnoyarsk. This creates challenges around cultural adaptation and Russian language acquisition for both adults and especially migrant children. We have dedicated several conferences and roundtables to this topic. Since this work has been ongoing for over three years, methods for teaching Russian as a foreign language have been developed. For children, teaching approaches are tailored to three levels of language proficiency: none, weak, and intermediate.

The issue of limited Russian proficiency among school-age children is particularly acute in districts adjacent to major Krasnoyarsk markets, where classes often have a high percentage of migrant children. Besides additional Russian language lessons, many schools conduct cultural awareness activities and events promoting tolerance. The more you know about another culture and traditions, the fewer reasons there are for suspicion. These efforts include class sessions, various festivals, and national days celebrating different republics. Importantly, parents also take part in this work.

Ferghana.Ru: — You mentioned cooperation with the media and other measures aimed at fostering tolerance in society. Could you elaborate on that?

R. Rafikov: — For the fourth consecutive year, we have held contests for journalists on the best coverage of migration and interethnic relations. We also encourage students and graduate students to research these topics. Popular science literature on history and communities is published in the region. National holidays are celebrated, and scientific conferences and methodological seminars are organized.

Unfortunately, Islamophobia is spreading widely across the country, including Krasnoyarsk Krai. Therefore, we focus on working with the younger generation: our mufti regularly leads educational excursions for schoolchildren. It has become a good tradition for the regional authorities and the governor to personally congratulate Muslims on religious holidays with kind words. Given that there is only one mosque here, which accommodates only a small fraction of the faithful, major events and celebrations are held in rented halls or outdoors.

Fergana.ru: Are there any projects aimed at helping migrants adapt in the Krasnoyarsk region?

R. Rafikov: There are currently no state-run adaptation centers, but their creation is on the agenda. For now, this kind of work is carried out only through national cultural associations. As I mentioned before, we consider it important to develop educational programs. People who come to Russia to work for a long time or settle permanently should understand the laws and customs of the host country and should also have the opportunity to provide a good education for their children.

After the new migration law came into effect, the Federal Migration Service (FMS) bore the brunt of the work. Since January 2007, FMS offices were flooded with migrants seeking work permits. It’s important to note that although Krasnoyarsk region is huge, work permits are issued only in Krasnoyarsk city, at a single location. Because the staff was limited, there were initially long lines, with people waiting outside the FMS building for days. However, the situation has gradually improved. Several consultation points have opened in Krasnoyarsk to help migrants prepare the required documents, so now migrants only need to visit the central office to submit documents and collect their plastic work permit cards.

Krasnoyarsk Region Needs More Workers

“If before migrants could only register in residential places and only through FMS authorities, since January the registration procedure has changed from a permit-based system to a notification-based system,” explains Lyudmila Grigoryeva, Deputy Head of the FMS in Krasnoyarsk region. “Together with the host party, migrants can send notifications to FMS through post offices. Krasnoyarsk region has 78 FMS branches and 809 post offices. Thanks to this, queues have practically disappeared, and the three-day deadline for registration has become more realistic. Another important change is the possibility to register foreign nationals at a legal address.”

Fergana.ru: So the host party, as a legal entity, can register foreign nationals regardless of their number? There are no limits?

L. Grigoryeva: The law doesn’t specify any restrictions as such.

Fergana.ru: So, a community as a legal entity can register its compatriots at its address?

L. Grigoryeva: They must live where they are registered, or the community must know their whereabouts. Otherwise, the community isn’t fulfilling its duties as a host party and must bear legal responsibility.

Fergana.ru: Where do migrants from Central Asia usually prefer to register?

L. Grigoryeva: For FMS, the best way is registration by the employer. The migrant is registered at the employer’s legal address and usually lives in a dormitory, so the employer knows exactly where they are. If a community registers its members first, then they get employed and the employer becomes the host party after the labor contract is signed. In that case, the community should deregister them, and the employer should register them. According to Article 115 of the Federal Law, a foreign national can be registered for 90 days, and the stay can be extended if there is a labor or civil contract.

Fergana.ru: What challenges do migrants face when they are outside the legal framework?

L. Grigoryeva: There have been cases of organized recruitment where certain people bring entire groups of migrants and get paid for it. Naturally, it’s not in their interest to legalize these migrants because with a work permit, the Russian labor code applies to foreign nationals too, offering legal protections including those guaranteed by the Russian Constitution. There are also cases of human trafficking, especially among migrants brought in through such “organized recruitment.”

Fergana.ru: How has the situation with migrant registration changed quantitatively this year?

L. Grigoryeva: Over the first ten months of this year, 79,000 people registered, which is a 59% increase compared to the same period last year. 38,000 work permits were issued, a 256% increase. Of those, 31,000 permits went to citizens of nearby countries: 195 permits to Kazakh citizens, 7,900 to Kyrgyz citizens, 11,000 to Tajik citizens, and 5,500 to Uzbek citizens.

However, we do not expect further growth in labor migration due to the introduction of quotas. We don’t yet know the quota for Krasnoyarsk region for 2008, but I expect it to be around 50,000 work permits.

The difference between the number of people registered and the number of work permits issued represents those who couldn’t get officially employed. The labor market is limited, and most foreigners head to Krasnoyarsk because it has developed industry and construction sectors. It’s unlikely employers fail to notify authorities about hiring foreign nationals, as fines can be very high — up to 800,000 rubles.

Fergana.ru: How does the FMS cooperate with national communities, especially the Uzbek community?

L. Grigoryeva: We work well with the diasporas, no problems there. Often, diaspora leaders are also employers. This is understandable since they are business representatives living here long-term and have Russian citizenship. If we need to locate migrants for some reason, we also reach out to the communities: they can find their compatriots faster and more effectively than official agencies. We also cooperate with the regional administration’s Department for Nationalities and Religions, organizing meetings, seminars, and roundtables on migration issues.

Fergana.ru: What are the general trends in migration processes in our country?

L. Grigoryeva: The main goal is to legalize the stay of foreign nationals in Russia and make it easier for them to regularize their status without bureaucratic delays. We’re ready to accept those who come legally to work and earn. Of course, this affects the labor market since foreign nationals often work for less pay than Russian citizens. Still, Krasnoyarsk region currently has a significant need for additional workers.

In Conclusion

So, the harsh Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk is a hotspot of intense migration processes. Overall, with regional specifics considered, migration trends across the country are similar. This year, a large number of labor migrants have come out of the shadows into the legal field. Despite some rough edges and insufficiently developed legislation, it’s helping move forward the legalization of foreign nationals.

Readers of Fergana.ru have seen perspectives from both Uzbek community leaders and government experts. They largely agree — the region needs workers, and efforts must continue to attract labor migrants, provide them with proper documents, legal support, and increase tolerance in society. Overall, this cooperation between communities and government agencies can be called an effective partnership.