Experts believe that this trend is due to the tightening of migration legislation, as reported by Moscow FM. Lawyers point to the introduction of an open registry of controlled persons, which includes data on foreign citizens who are in the country illegally. This restricts their access to a number of services, including banking operations for amounts over 30,000 rubles and the ability to get married. The procedure for deporting illegally residing migrants has also been expedited, and the penalties for organizing illegal migration have become stricter.
In addition to strict measures for labor migrants, there is also a decline in tourist flow. The Association of Tour Operators reports that since the beginning of the year, the number of incoming tourists has decreased by more than 6 percent. The main factors contributing to this are transportation issues, high airfare costs, the lack of convenient payment systems for foreigners, and difficulties with the operation of SIM cards.
