Turakaev M.S. Temporary Labor Migration in Russia: Topical Issues and Sociological Research. The Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology. 2021. Vol. 24. No. 4. P. 34–58.

Abstract

In the article author examines topical issues about temporary labor migrants in Russia. The purpose of the article is to compare the main problems associated with the temporary labor migration and the data of sociological research. The author identifies such main types of temporary labor migration as long-distance commuting, wander work («otkhodnichestvo») and seasonal work. The author uses publications in the media, own qualitative research data, Rosstat survey «Comprehensive monitoring of the living conditions of the population 2016» (2017), sociological surveys «Demographic well-being of Russian regions» (2020), «Strategy of the socio-economic development of the Republic of Bashkortostan until 2030» (2015), and «Development of human potential in the context of precarization of the social and labor sphere» (2020) as the information and empirical base of the article. The relevance of temporary (return) labor migration among other migration problems in our country is shown on the media materials and scientific papers. Key issues about temporary labor migrants, such as the impact of temporary return work on birthrate and family life satisfaction, are analyzed on the basis of statistical data. The health of the temporary labor migrants is considered mainly through the lens of the long-distance commuters in the North and the subjective assessments of their health condition by themselves. The thesis of the «invisibility» of temporary labor migrants 57 ТНЕ JОURNАL OF SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021. Volume xxIV. № 4 Временная трудовая миграция в России: актуальные вопросы by the state is argued by the widespread of the informal work, as well as by the fact that a labor migrant usually has the status of a worker not in the region of permanent residence, but in another region of Russia or in another country. The thesis of high probability of the change of permanent place of residence by temporary labor migrants is disproved by both qualitative data and quantitative regional sociological research data.