The number of foreigners in Russia decreased by 8.6 percent in one year.
Control over illegal migrants has been strengthened, with more than 850,000 people included in a special registry.
The number of foreign citizens residing in Russia decreased by 8.6 percent by the end of 2025, totaling 5.7 million people. Vedomosti reported this, citing the Migration Service of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
According to official data, the number of foreign minors in the country decreased by 24.5 percent to 591,300, while the number of foreign women decreased by 7.6 percent to 1.7 million.
Additionally, the number of temporary residence permits issued to foreign citizens amounted to 31,304, a decrease of nearly one-third compared to a year earlier. The number of permanent residence certificates decreased by 27.3 percent to 156,229, while the number of foreigners who acquired Russian citizenship fell by 27.1 percent to 152,400.
According to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, more than 850,000 illegal migrants have been entered into the register of controlled persons. Individuals included in this register have certain rights restricted in accordance with current legislation.
However, the report also recorded positive growth in legal labor migration. In particular, the number of notifications regarding labor and civil-law contracts concluded with foreign citizens working on the basis of patents or work permits increased by 25.9 percent and 44.5 percent, respectively.
Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a migration policy concept for 2026–2030 in October 2025. The document identifies reducing illegal migration, preventing migration-related offenses, and attracting qualified foreign specialists for the economy as key priority areas.
