Almost 3.7 mln CIS citizens stay in Russia over timeline permitted by law - Federal Migration Service
MOSCOW. May 21 (Interfax) - Russia has around 3.7 million illegal migrant workers, Russian Federal Migration Service Chief Konstantin Romodanovsky said in the State Duma on Wednesday.
"Our system registers almost 3.7 million such violators, who presumably work illegally," Romodanovsky said.
These are CIS citizens who entered Russia legally but later stayed over the time permitted by law, he said.
"Migrant workers go for such violations understanding the economic hopelessness of their return to homeland," Romodanovsky said.
Almost 11 million foreign citizens are in Russia for different purposes and most come to work, he said.
"In 2013 almost 17.7 million foreigners came to Russia. CIS citizens account for 75% of the people arriving," Romodanovsky said.