Medical and Social Security of Kyrgyz Migrants in Moscow, Russia, after Accession of Kyrgyzstan to the EEU

Abstract

The Eurasian Economic Union is an example of integration of equally independent states. The last country which joined the Union was Kyrgyzstan. Despite the long-established relationships between Kyrgyzstan and the Russian Federation, a headliner of the EEU, a crucial point in deciding whether to enter the Union was based on migration processes between two states. The accession of Kyrgyzstan to the EEU brought a number of changes in Russian migration policies towards Kyrgyz migrants. Namely, they are prolonged period of registration, cancelled quota system and work permit, employment via labour and civil contracts, and finally medical and health security. A research project that was conducted within this master thesis aimed at defining effects of these changes on lives of Kyrgyz migrants in Moscow, Russia. Results found out a weakness of changed policies, particularly, they are made on paper but failed in implementation. Migrants still prefer illegal registration and employment; absence of labour contracts conditions the absence of health insurance and free medical assistance afterwards. Social security is hardly known by migrants and experts as well. Thus, accession of Kyrgyzstan to the EEU led to policy changes on paper but has not affected social and medical security of Kyrgyz migrants in Moscow in reality.