Migrants Wait Crisis Out in Russia
Fewer migrant workers than anticipated have come back to Kyrgyzstan from abroad, and reporter Nurlan Abdaliev went to the Russian city of Novisibirsk to find out how the rest are weathering the ongoing economic crisis.
Migrants Wait Crisis Out in Russia
Fewer migrant workers than anticipated have come back to Kyrgyzstan from abroad, and reporter Nurlan Abdaliev went to the Russian city of Novisibirsk to find out how the rest are weathering the ongoing economic crisis.
Manual labourers, especially in the now depressed Russian construction industry, have often been the first to be sacked.
One man, who gave his first name as Bolot, is back in Novosibirsk after spending some time back in Kyrgyzstan after losing his job on the Russian railways.
Now he is seeking work, so far without success. “I’ll look again tomorrow,” he said.
Others find themselves in a better position, for example Nurlan, who earns the equivalent of 400 US dollars a month plus bonuses. Although he would like to return to Kyrgyzstan one day, he is not under any pressure to do so – he has taken out Russian citizenship and has a steady job and a home in Novosibirsk.
“Most likely the majority of migrants will remain there,” said a World Bank representative in Bishkek. “Of course things will be different, and wages may be cut. But it’s probably better to be earning a modest wage than to end up unemployed at home.
One man, who gave his first name as Bolot, is back in Novosibirsk after spending some time back in Kyrgyzstan after losing his job on the Russian railways.
Now he is seeking work, so far without success. “I’ll look again tomorrow,” he said.
Others find themselves in a better position, for example Nurlan, who earns the equivalent of 400 US dollars a month plus bonuses. Although he would like to return to Kyrgyzstan one day, he is not under any pressure to do so – he has taken out Russian citizenship and has a steady job and a home in Novosibirsk.
“Most likely the majority of migrants will remain there,” said a World Bank representative in Bishkek. “Of course things will be different, and wages may be cut. But it’s probably better to be earning a modest wage than to end up unemployed at home.
