ABSTRACT
For over a decade, from 1990 to 2000, Russia went through a period of economic downturn and contraction. This was related to the disintegration of the Union of the Socialist Soviet Republics (USSR). Transformations such as these, combined with new transportation facilities, impacted, changed and re-directed international migration routes. Correspondingly, new migration routes emerged which resulted in particular countries being transited by migrants. In the early 1990s these new routes were rapidly established and the vast territory of the formerly closed USSR was increasingly used by transit migrants and smugglers of migrants. Since then, numerous transit routes have run through the territory of Russia and the country has provided a convenient and cheap land route for Asian and African migrants on their way to the West. From 2000 to 2008, Russia benefited from rising oil prices, windfall profits and an increase of investment in many sectors. This generated a period of economic growth which in turn resulted in a considerable demand for migrant labour. Consequently, Russia also became attractive as a destination country for immigrants. The economic crisis in 2008-2009 then slowed down the demand for immigrant labour, although this is likely to increase again with economic recovery. Nevertheless, as this contribution will show, transit migration continues and sometimes overlaps with immigration.
