Major decline in foreign population in Russia: 600,000 people left the country in the last year

A significant decline has occurred in the number of foreigners living in Russia. According to official data released at the beginning of 2026, the foreign population across the country has fallen to 5.7 million. This figure represents a 10 percent decrease compared to a year ago. The number of foreigners, which was 6.3 million at the beginning of 2025, has decreased by 600,000 people in the last 12 months.

In Russia, which has a total population of around 146 million, the proportion of foreigners has dropped to 3.9 percent. In other words, only 4 out of every 100 people living in Russia are now recorded as foreign nationals.

With the impact of the new era of migration policies, regulations concerning immigrants have been made stricter. With the transition to a "controlled persons" registry for those who violate migration rules, the conditions for staying in the country have also become more difficult. Legal expert Anna Minushkina stated that, in particular, restrictions on bank accounts and the prevention of obtaining legal residency through marriage have created significant pressure on foreigners.

Furthermore, the duration of stay for foreigners arriving in the country without a visa has been limited to 90 days per year. This situation has brought mobility to a standstill, especially for seasonal workers.

According to officials, the steps to tighten migration policies are being implemented in line with the country's goals of "combating irregular migration" and "ensuring security." These practices are expected to continue to have a downward effect on the foreign population in the coming period. It is stated that final and detailed statistics will be presented to the public in February.

News Source: 12punto