printFamily Migration:
the Russian Context of Integration and Challenges of Migration Policy
Peshkova V.M.
Cand. Sci. (Hist.), Senior Research Fellow, the Center for Regional Studies, Institute of Sociology of FCTAS RAS, Moscow, Russia pever@mail.ru
Peshkova V.M. Family Migration: the Russian Context of Integration and Challenges of Migration Policy. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2025. No 7. P. 147-159
The relationship between family migration and integration of foreign labor migrants in Russia, with a focus on migration from Central Asian countries, are analyzed. The empirical basis includes 61 in‑depth semi‑structured interviews with representatives of government bodies and non‑profit organizations as key actors in migration processes and integration policy on the host society part. Expert views on the structural factors of migrant integration, the phenomenon of family migration and the characteristics of migrant families are considered. Particular attention is paid to the positions of experts regarding the conditions under which migrant families are considered integrated. It is concluded that, on the one hand, family migration increases barriers to integration, on the other hand, it contributes to the development of more sustainable strategies for inclusion in Russian society. Differences in government officials and public figures assessments due to differences in their policy functions in themselves become a barrier to integration. A consensus is reached regarding the recognition of the special integrational role of the second generation of migrants. It is the children born or raised in Russia who demonstrate integration both in legal and identification terms. Despite the greater number of difficulties faced by family migrants, in the long‑term family migration is more favorable for integration than individual migration.
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