Driving forces of migration policy in Russia

The strategic course of the migration policy of any state is shaped by four major groups of factors. The first (and most important) group is the internal needs of the state, covering the demographic, socio-economic, national spheres, which are directly related to the issues of the territorial integrity and political security of the state. The second group is associated with the specific guidelines of the ruling elite for the further development of the country, which are being put into practice in shaping the political and legal regime regarding migration. The third group of factors reflects the international situation in general and the political, socioeconomic and military situation in the border regions of neighboring states in particular. The fourth group of factors includes natural and man-made disasters that cause flows of forced migrants, but this group usually has little effect on the migration strategy of a country due to the temporary nature of these phenomena. In the extensive scientific literature devoted to the problem of the migration policy of the Russian Federation, as a rule, accents are placed on the first, third and fourth groups determining the migration policy factors.