Migration processes in the Russian Arctic

• Published in: Arctic and North
• Main Author: Flera H. Sokolova
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Russian
• Published: Northern Arctic Federal University 2016
• Subjects: The Russian Arctic; 21st century; population; migration; migration processes; Social Sciences; H; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.17238/issn2221-2698.2016.25.158; https://doaj.org/article/4964857ec30b4b3eabd7570c8e0eee3a

On the basis of analyzing and summarizing of official statistics, the article reveals the dynamics of migration processes in the Russian Arctic in XXI century, which is important in conditions of intensification of population movements in the country and the world, and is significant in the context of defending the country's national interests in the Arctic and strengthening the human potential in the region in order to ensure its sustainable innovative economic and social development. It is noted that throughout the history of Arctic exploration, migration has been a major factor in its socio-economic and cultural development. The 20th century was marked by intensive migration of the population influx, which contributed to the transformation of sparsely populated areas into an industrially and culturally developed region. The dynamics of migration processes in the beginning of the 21st century shows the opposite trend. The migration outflow of the population, which has slowed down in the first decade of the 21st century (compared to the 1990s), in recent years has once again started to gain pace. The regions of the Arctic have a rapidly declining population, there is a trend of outflow of young and highly qualified personnel. The existing structure of the population and labor migrants does not fully meet the labor market demand for suitably qualified personnel. The region is experiencing an acute need for government support and well-thought-out policy to consolidate and attract population.