VZCZCXRO0911
RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
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R 091128Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9771
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1961
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1940
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1868
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 1185
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
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RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 2041
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 2002
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2017
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1921
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 0145
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 1395

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000348 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SMIG ELAB ECON PINR TI RS
SUBJECT: TAJIK GOVT REACTION TO RUSSIAN MIGRATION LAW (C-RE7-00278) 
 
REF: STATE 022077 
 
DUSHANBE 00000348  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U) In a meeting with PolOff March 1, head of the State 
Social Protection, Employment and Migration Agency Anvar Boboev 
appeared optimistic that Russia's new migration law would make 
it easier for Tajik labor migrants to travel to, register, and 
obtain work permits in Russia.  Prior to the government 
reorganization in December, Boboev headed the State Migration 
Service, which was then subsumed into the larger agency and 
folded into the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. 
Despite the expanded portfolio, migration issues continue to 
occupy most of Boboev's time. 
 
¶2.  (U) Publicly, the government has not expressed concern with 
Russia's new law, stating that it will make it easier for Tajik 
labor migrants to easily register and work in Russia. 
Tajikistan has a visa-free regime with Russia.  According to 
Boboev, the new law means that a Tajik migrant can enter Russia, 
show an employer his migration card, international passport and 
a receipt showing that he has paid his labor migration fee and 
be considered a legal migrant.  Critics say that although 
migrants can register legally, employers may still tend to hire 
illegal migrants in order to avoid paying social benefit taxes 
to the government. 
 
¶3.  (U) Russia set Tajikistan's migrant quota at 600,000, far 
below the one million currently believed to be working in 
Russia.  Although the Tajik government publicly acknowledges 
that between 500,000-600,000 Tajiks are in Russia working as 
labor migrants, the government has petitioned Russia to increase 
the quota to 800,000.  Boboev explained that the government 
requested the 200,000 increase to accommodate the seasonal 
migrants who travel frequently between the countries and for a 
future overall population increase.  He did not know if Russia 
would approve the increase, but was optimistic, citing 
Tajikistan's close relationship with Russia.  Tajikistan relies 
heavily on the over $1 billion in remittances from workers in 
Russia.  The earnings prop up Tajikistan's local consumption 
boom. 
 
¶4.  (U) The bulk of Tajik labor migrants - approximately 46 
percent - work as low-skill laborers in construction; 20 percent 
work in Russia's markets; while the remainder work in health, 
education, and other sectors.  Boboev pointed out that although 
many Tajik migrants are skilled in technical trades such as auto 
mechanics, many do not have certificates validating their 
skills.  The Tajik government plans to establish training 
centers to teach short-term courses and certify technical skills 
for migrants.  These certificates will be valid in Russia as 
well. 
 
¶5.  (U) Boboev cited that Russia deported 17,000 Tajik migrants 
in 2005, but only 6,100 in 2006.  He attributes the drastic 
decrease to increased migrant awareness and education.  Boboev 
predicts that Russia will deport even fewer migrants this year. 
 
¶6.  (U) Although publicly the Tajik government has not expressed 
concern about Russia's new immigration law, the government is 
bracing itself for an influx of migrants returning from Russia. 
According to Boboev, the government aims to create more job 
opportunities in Tajikistan by improving economic conditions for 
small and medium-sized enterprises, with a particular emphasis 
on developing job opportunities for women.  Boboev did not 
explain what steps the government would take to make this 
happen.  Returnees face bleak job prospects in a 20 percent 
unemployment market, and many local citizens fear an uptick in 
crime. 
 
¶7.  (U) It is still too early to gauge the law's impact, and the 
general population's response has been muted.  Local 
non-governmental organizations that serve as migrant information 
centers agree with the government's prognosis that the law will 
be a positive development and will encourage more migrants to 
register legally.  The centers are ready to educate migrants on 
the new law and their rights. 
 
¶8.  (U) COMMENT:  Although the new law may encourage Tajik labor 
migrants to register legally, it does not address the migration 
 
DUSHANBE 00000348  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
problems most Tajiks are concerned about.  Tajiks suffer 
horrible living and working conditions in Russian and cases of 
extreme and violent racism are not rare.  Every year, more than 
a few migrants return to Tajikistan in body bags.  Corrupt 
ticket consolidators charge migrants triple for Tajik Air 
tickets to and from Russia.  However, at least they have jobs in 
Russia.  If Russia closes its doors, Tajiks will likely pursue 
openings in other countries.  END COMMENT. 
JACOBSON