Migrant crime rates not growing in Russia – Federal Migration Service

MOSCOW. Jan 21 (Interfax) – The majority of foreign migrants arriving in Russia come from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Ukraine. There is no growth of migrant crime rates, Federal Migration Service head Konstantin Romodanovsky told Interfax.

“Only 3.4% of solved crimes are committed by migrants. Most frequently migrants are charged with document forgery,” he said.

Migrant arrivals in Russia have grown by 23% since 2009, while migrant crime rates have declined from 3.5% to 3.4% over the same period, Romodanovsky said.

“Certainly, the rates are higher in megalopolises. Additional measures will be taken there jointly with the Interior Ministry. Judging by migration statistics, the number of foreign migrants in Russia has declined although the decline is insignificant,” the service head said.

“Slightly more than 2 million citizens of Uzbekistan are staying in Russia now. They have arrived with various purposes. Almost 760,000 of them have work permits or patents, and another 885,000 Uzbek citizens declared work as the purpose of their stay in Russia when they crossed the border and were registered as migrants but did not obtain a work permit or a patent. Presumably, they are employed illegally,” Romodanovsky said.

“More than one million citizens of Tajikistan are staying in Russia, and 271,500 of them have work permits or patents. Some 397,000 are in the risk group. The other 330,000 are staying for aperiod of less than 90 days. They have violated nothing so far,” he said.

“Over 1.3 million have arrived from Ukraine, and 109,000 of them have work permits. Some 551,000 Ukrainian citizens are in the risk group,” Romodanovsky said.