Foreigners’ Adventures in Russia

Foreigners began migrating to Russia in the 15th century. Foreign specialists were recruited for government service through the Pharmaceutical, Ambassadorial, and Foreigners Offices. This policy continued under Peter the Great and Catherine the Great, and became particularly widespread under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. During Soviet times, the invitation of foreign specialists was sporadic, but important for the economy and defence. As for current migration issues, the digitalization of migration is one of the key focuses of Russia’s migration policy. The introduction of new technologies simplifies the registration and tracking of migrants, and also enhances the transparency of migration flows. Digitalization is consistent with the challenges of our times and changes the usual way of life, but it is crucial that we not forget about preserving human rights. Thanks to the Russian government’s support, digitalization is proceeding rapidly in all sectors, including jurisprudence. Artificial intelligence technologies have recently been increasingly adopted in this regard as well. Digitalization is also very important in migration policy and needs to be rapidly introduced for its further development. What additional mechanisms, including in the legal sphere and digitalization, need to be developed to attract immigrants to Russia who are able to enrich and develop our country and share our traditional spiritual and moral values based on mutual respect, aid for those in need, compassion, and so on? What new approaches are becoming key to the adaptation and socialization of foreigners in Russia due to climate change? What options exist for solving migration problems in Russia? How can digitalization be used to preserve and attract migrants to Russia who have similar spiritual and moral values and who want to live and flourish in our country?