The attitude of Russians towards migrants remains negative: the majority of respondents believe that they increase crime rates and negatively affect the economy and culture. Seven out of ten respondents believe that the influx of newcomers should be limited and all illegal migrants should be expelled from the country. At the same time, the majority of respondents do not feel interethnic tension in their place of residence, do not feel open hostility from people of other nationalities and do not experience it themselves. However, up to a third of respondents consider mass clashes possible at the national level within the country.

Attitudes towards Migrants

Since August 2016, respondents have increasingly noted a decrease in the number of migrants in their place of residence (an increase of 8 percentage points). The share of those who believe that their numbers have increased has not changed – 42%, and those who believe that they have remained unchanged has decreased – 34% (43% in August 2016).

Over the 13 years since the last survey (in September 2012), the attitude towards workers from “near abroad” at Russian construction sites has improved somewhat: every fifth person out of ten has a positive attitude towards them (an increase of 8 percentage points), four out of ten are neutral (40%), and the same number have a negative attitude (39%).

The proportion of those who have a positive attitude towards construction workers from “near abroad” countries is higher among the following groups: young people under 24 (26%), residents of cities with a population of 100 to 500 thousand people (24%), and those who trust television as a source of information (21%).

The share of those who have a neutral attitude towards construction workers from “near abroad” countries is higher among the following groups: young people under 24 (51%), wealthier respondents (43% among those who can afford durable goods), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (42%), those who approve of V. Putin’s activities as president (41%), and those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (49%).

The share of those who have a negative attitude to construction workers from “near abroad” is higher among the following groups: older respondents (46% among those aged 55 and older), less well-off respondents (47% among those who barely have enough money for food to eat), Muscovites (49%), those who think that things in the country are going the wrong way (46%), and those who disapprove of the activities of the incumbent president (49%).

Negative attitudes towards migrants prevail in a variety of ways:

• Two-thirds of respondents believe that migrants increase crime rates (66%);
• More than half of respondents believe that migrants take jobs away from Russians (56%);
• Half of respondents think that migrants “destroy” Russian culture (52%);
• Two-thirds disagree that migrants enrich Russian society with new ideas and culture (65%);
• And every second respondent disagrees that migrants generally contribute to the development of the Russian economy (51%).

The majority of respondents agree with the statement that migrants increase the crime rate (66%), their share has decreased slightly compared to October 2012, when the maximum values for this indicator were recorded – 71%, the minimum values were observed in June 1996 – 54%. The share of respondents who do not agree with this statement is growing to 19% (8% in October 2012).

Although Russians’ opinions on the impact of migrants on the Russian economy remain generally negative, they are improving: a third (31%) agree that migrants generally contribute to the development of the Russian economy (an increase of 19 percentage points since August 2016), while every third disagrees that migrants are taking jobs away from Russians – 32% (an increase of 21 percentage points since October 2012).

Russians’ opinions about the influence of migrants on Russian culture are also negative and getting worse: half of respondents agree that migrants are destroying Russian culture – 52% (an increase of 13 percentage points since August 2016), while two-thirds of respondents do not agree that migrants enrich Russian society by bringing new ideas and culture – 65% (an increase of 33 percentage points since August 2016).

Opinions on the Nature of Government Policy in Relation to Migrants

Most respondents think that the Russian government should limit the influx of newcomers (70%), while every fifth person believes that administrative barriers should not be put in the way of the influx of newcomers, but rather that it should be used for the benefit of Russia. The maximum support for restrictive measures was recorded in 2016 (80%), and the minimum in 2002 (45%).

Those who most often believe that the Russian government should limit the influx of migrants are older respondents (76%), respondents with professional and higher education (71% each), and residents of Moscow (84%).

Young people under 24 (32%), respondents with secondary education and above (27%), and residents of cities with populations of 100,000 to 500,000 people (26%) are more likely than others to believe that the Russian government should not put administrative barriers in the way of the influx of immigrants, but should try to use it for the benefit of Russia.

The attitude towards illegal migrants from “near abroad” countries is deteriorating: seven out of ten respondents believe that they should be expelled from Russia (an increase of 27 percentage points since August 2015), and 22% of respondents believe that they should be legalized and helped to find work and assimilate in Russia (a decrease of 19 percentage points since August 2015).

The opinion that illegal immigrants from  “near abroad” countries should be legalized and helped to find work is more widespread among young people under 24 (30%), residents of cities with a population of 100 to 500 thousand people (27%), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (25%), and those who approve of V. Putin’s activities as president (23%).

The opinion that illegal immigrants should be expelled from Russia is more widespread among older respondents (74% of respondents aged 55 and older), Moscow residents (85%), those who believe that things in the country are going down the wrong path (77%), and those who do not approve of V. Putin’s performance as president (78%).

Hostility and Assessment of Interethnic Tension

Most respondents do not feel interethnic tension in their place of residence – (79%), interethnic tension is felt by 17% of respondents. The level of interethnic tension reached its maximum values ​​in October 2013 (43%), but by July 2017 it decreased to 12%, after which it increased again, but not by much.

Residents of Moscow (31%), those who believe that things in the country are going down the wrong path (30%), those who do not approve of V. Putin’s activities as president (27%), and those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (24%) are the most likely to feel interethnic tension.

Those who do not feel interethnic tension more often are rural residents (85%), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (83%), those who approve of the activities of the current president (80%), and those who trust television as a source of information (83%)

Speaking about hostility both from people of other nationalities towards themselves and towards people of other nationalities, the majority of respondents note that they feel it rarely or never/almost never. This figure remains at a fairly low level – 11% and 9%, respectively – and has remained virtually unchanged since November 2016. 87% and 89% of respondents, respectively, say that they do not feel hostility from/towards people of other nationalities.

Assessment of the Possibility of Bloody Conflict on Ethnic Grounds

At the same time, respondents increasingly admit the possibility of bloody clashes on ethnic grounds at present: both in the place where they live – 15% (an increase of 6 percentage points since July 2017), and in Russia as a whole – 34% (an increase of 15 percentage points since July 2017). 80% of respondents do not admit there is a possibility of such clashes in their place of residence (a decrease of 4 percentage points since July 2017), and 57% of respondents in Russia as a whole (a decrease of 13 percentage points since July 2017).

Those who most often believe that mass bloodshed on ethnic grounds is possible in the respondent’s place of residence are Muscovites (22%), those who believe that things in the country are going down the wrong path (27%), those who do not approve of V. Putin’s activities as president (23%), and those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (23%).

Less often, those who believe that mass bloodshed on ethnic grounds is possible in the respondent’s place of residence are residents of villages (10%), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (13%), those who approve of the activities of the current president (14%), and those who trust television as a source of information (12%).

The assessment of the possibility of mass conflicts on ethnic grounds in Russia is generally higher among those who are less well off (42% among those who barely have enough for food), those who believe that things in the country are going down the wrong path (51%), those who do not approve of V. Putin’s activities as president (51%), and those who trust online publications and YouTube channels as a source of information (34%).

The assessment of the possibility of mass conflicts on ethnic grounds in Russia is generally lower among wealthier respondents (30%), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (30%), those who approve of the activities of the current president (32%), and those who trust television as a source of information (30%).