EXTERNAL LABOUR MIGRATION AS A FACTOR OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of external labour migration from neighboring countries, prospects and problems of its regulation in the Russian Federation. The author emphasizes the role of migration processes in the socio-economic and socio-political life of our country, their influence on the demographic situation as a labor replenishment source, the development of production, the labor market, as well as socio-economic characteristics of the living standards. There is no doubt that compensation for the loss of working-age population only by increasing productivity, economic restructuring and engaging economically inactive population (housewives, pensioners, and disabled) onto the labor market is not possible. In this regard, it becomes apparent that in the next decade Russia will have to use foreign labor force incrementally. As the statistical analysis shows, a high concentration of migrant workers, as a rule, does not exceed the unemployment rate among the local population, as they take jobs that are not popular among the locals, and even contributes to the improvement of social and status structure of employment in the country. As for the state policy in relation to foreign migrant workers, in accordance with the Conception of the long-term socio-economic development of the Russian Federation, till 2020 its priority areas are: attracting skilled foreign specialists, creation of civilized working conditions and life of migrants in Russia, and protection of their civil rights. Thus, it becomes clear that in market economy conditions along with negative demographic processes, external labor migration is becoming one of the most important strategic factors in the development of Russia’s human potential.