Integration of labor migrants: Assessment based on sociological survey data

The article substantiates a methodological approach to assessing the effectiveness of the adaptation and integration processes of labor migrants in the host community, which is a key element of migration policy. The relevance of the study stems from the need to develop tools for evaluating the qualitative parameters of adaptation processes among labor migrants, a prerequisite for preventing negative social consequences of migration processes. The aim of the study is to develop and substantiate a system of indicators for assessing the effectiveness of adaptation and integration of labor migrants, taking into account the specific characteristics of migration flows to Russia. The research methodology includes systematization of scholarly approaches, formulation of assessment principles and criteria, analysis of normative documents, and the results of a sociological survey of labor migrants from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan conducted in the Sverdlovsk Region from March to May 2023. The main results and their novelty lie in the development of a comprehensive system of indicators grouped into three blocks (socio-economic, socio-cultural, and family-legal), which makes it possible to assess adaptation and integration as a multidimensional process and distinguishes this approach from existing ones that focus on individual aspects of adaptation processes. The study confirms the importance of accounting for the length of time migrants have spent in the host territory. The limitations of the study are related to the specific countries of origin, which shape the characteristics of adaptation strategies. The results of the study can be used to improve migration policy, develop regional programs for the adaptation and integration of labor migrants from countries with a visa‑free entry regime, and in the practice of migration management in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.