Perezhogin noted that the main factor for the decrease was a significant reduction in the number of minor migrants—by almost 25%. Final data for the year 2025 will be summarized in February. He also added that foreigners who have not ensured the legal stay of their children in the country may face the possibility of their children being declared undesirable, especially if conditions for obtaining basic education have not been created. This was previously mentioned by the official representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Irina Volk, in her Telegram channel on January 27.
A new law comes into effect on January 28, 2026, which requires the Ministry of Internal Affairs and educational authorities to exchange data about foreign children. This will allow the ministry to track which children are registered or removed from migration accounting, which in turn will help determine their educational needs, the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation reported in November 2025.
The Ministry of Education, as well as local educational authorities, are now required to provide the Ministry of Internal Affairs with information about applications from foreign citizens for the enrollment of children in educational institutions, as well as the results of Russian language testing and information about enrollment or expulsion.
The decrease in the number of migrants, as suggested by Anna Minushkina, head of the law firm "Minushkina and Partners," is also related to the tightening of migration legislation. Previously, foreigners who violated the rules could remain in Russia until their detention, but now they immediately enter the register of controlled persons. According to Minushkina, before the reform, migrants could use their accounts and get married, which sometimes helped them legalize their status. However, with the introduction of the new expulsion law, violators can no longer manage their funds—access to them is limited to 30,000 rubles and funds for paying fines, which often forces migrants to leave the country.
Sofia Baturo, the first deputy general director of the recruiting company "Intrud," also pointed out the impact of the expulsion regime and the register of controlled persons. She noted that from January 1, 2025, the period of stay for migrants without a visa in Russia is limited to 90 days a year, which is a change from the previous rules that allowed a stay of up to 180 days.
Photo on the main page - Evgeny Razumny/"Vedomosti".
