Geographical features of labor migration in the context of Eurasian integration

The article discusses the features and structure of labor migration from central Asia to Russia within the Eurasian migration subsystem. The study is based on official statistical data and the expert assessment of labor migration flows in the region. The purpose of the study is to reveal labor migration trends and suggest innovative ways to regulate labor migration in the countries of both emigration and immigration. The study has identified new phenomena for labor migration process from central Asia to Russia and Kazakhstan, namely the growing proportion of women, rural people and youth. The existing models of regulating labor migration in the countries of Central Asia are described. We suggest an innovative approach to the regulation of labor migration in the interests of socio-economic development of both donor and recipient countries. It is based on the diversification of migration control measures by economic sectors. We propose to divide the host country policy regarding the regulation of labor migration into two directions. Regulation of labor migration and employment in the sector of "tradable" goods and services should be to the largest possible extent correlated with the trade and investment cooperation. Russia and Kazakhstan could reduce illegal migration and employment in the sphere of agricultural production and processing by increasing their investments into the agro-industry of the countries of Central Asia (which is a traditional sphere of employment for their population), rather than by deportation of illegal migrants. On the other hand, direct labor migration control measures are recommended for application in the sector of "non-tradable" goods and services, such as construction, transport, housing and communal services, trade, etc. The strategy of economic development for these sectors should be based on the concept of the growing labor productivity and decreasing inefficient employment.