Nine out of ten Russians would not like to move abroad permanently, which is the highest figure in 35 years of observation. Young people and opposition-minded citizens are more likely to move than others. The main reasons for moving, according to respondents, are an interest in another culture, a desire to provide their children with a decent future abroad, and the economic and political situation in Russia. Respondents most often name the United States, Spain, Italy and other European countries, as well as South Korea and Australia, as the destination for their relocation. Almost every fifth respondent has relatives or friends who have left Russia in the last two or three years. The attitude towards those who left Russia is ambiguous: some consider them traitors, while others say that they want to achieve more abroad.
Nine out of ten Russians surveyed would not like to move abroad for permanent residence; this figure is at its highest since 1990. 9% of respondents say they want to move abroad for permanent residence – the lowest figures for the entire observation period.
Young people under 24 (17%), those who believe that the country is moving down the wrong path (19%), those who do not approve of the current president’s activities (24%), and those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (19%) are the most likely mention their desire to move abroad for permanent residence.
Those who most frequently mention their unwillingness to move abroad for permanent residence are older respondents (94% of respondents aged 55 and older), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (92%), those who approve of V. Putin’s activities as president (92%), and those who trust television as a source of information (95%).
[1]Throughout the entire observation period, young people (18-24 years old) have been the most inclined to move — 16% of them currently say they would like to move abroad. The peak values were in 2011 and in 2021, when 48% of this group said they wanted to move.
Those surveyed aged 55 and older are the least likely to say that they would like to move to a permanent place of residence – 5%; throughout the entire survey period, their share has not exceeded 12%.
[2]The main reasons that make people think about leaving the country are interest in another culture (38%), the desire to provide their children with a decent future abroad (32%), and the economic and political situation in Russia (29% and 23%, respectively). Also, 17% each noted the high quality of medical and educational services abroad, 16% noted greater legal and social security, 15% noted greater opportunities for business and career growth, and every tenth person noted fears of mobilization.
The popularity of all reasons has been declining since 2022, with the exception of interest in another culture.
[3]Those who would like to move most often name the USA – 13%. Also among the preferred destinations are Spain (8%), Italy, South Korea, Germany – 5% each, Australia – 4%. Another 3% each mentioned France, Belarus, Turkey, Switzerland, Canada, China.
[4]The vast majority of respondents do not think about moving abroad for permanent residence at 89% (an increase of 20 percentage points since May 2021), and 8% of respondents sometimes think about it (a decrease of 12 percentage points since May 2021). 2% are considering the possibility of leaving, and 1% have made a firm decision to leave, are packing, and preparing documents.
[5]17% of respondents have relatives/acquaintances who have moved abroad for permanent residence in the last two-three years, and their number has not changed significantly over the last 8 years.
[6]The attitude towards those leaving Russia today is generally negative: 37% of respondents consider them traitors, or betrayers of the Motherland, and 36% of respondents think that those who are leaving do not believe in the future of Russia. Three out of ten believe that those leaving Russia today are those who fear a new mobilization. Positive reasons are cited somewhat less often – 26% believe that those leaving are those who want to achieve more, and 18% believe they wish to arrange a future for their children.
[7]METHODOLOGY
The all-Russian Levada Center survey was conducted from April 17 to 23, 2025, on a representative all-Russian sample of the urban and rural population of 1,617 people aged 18 and older in 137 populated areas, 50 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The study is conducted at the respondent’s home using a personal interview. The distribution of responses is given as a percentage of the total. The data array is weighted by gender, age, level of education for each type of settlement (large cities, medium-sized cities, small towns, villages) within each federal district independently , in accordance with Rosstat data.
The statistical error for a sample of 1600 people (with a probability of 0.95) does not exceed:
3.4% for rates close to 50%
2.9% for rates close to 25% / 75%
2.0% for rates close to 10% / 90%
1.5% for rates close to 5% / 95%
More [8] about the methodology