AZE.US
Russia remains the main destination for Armenian labor migrants, but the long-standing model in which earnings from abroad supported a large share of household income is beginning to change.
Between 12 and 15 flights depart daily from Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport for Russian cities. Many passengers are Armenian citizens who live and work in Russia permanently or travel there regularly for seasonal employment.
According to figures cited in the Hayastan News report, one in five employed Armenian citizens temporarily lives in Russia, while roughly two-thirds of Armenian migrants choose Russia as their primary destination.
Experts say Russia remains attractive because Armenian citizens do not need visas under the Eurasian Economic Union framework, Russian is widely spoken, and large Armenian communities make adaptation easier.
At the same time, specialists say it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish temporary labor migration from permanent emigration.
Sociologists link the outflow to a shortage of jobs, uncertainty about the future and a gap between living standards and public expectations. Armenians from nearly every social group are leaving the country.
The departure of educated young people is considered particularly troubling. Many young Armenians study abroad and then remain there to work.
Economist Gagik Vardanyan argues that Armenia should try to turn the “brain drain” into a “brain gain” by using the knowledge, professional experience and international connections of Armenian specialists living abroad.
The financial role of migration is also changing. Remittances from Russia, which for years were a major source of income for Armenian households, are no longer arriving at their previous levels.
“Russia has stopped being an ATM for Armenia,” the report said.
As a result, Armenian families are increasingly being forced to rely not only on income earned abroad, but also on employment and wages inside the country. Transfers from the United States and European countries are described as more stable.
Despite the decline in remittances, Russia continues to serve as the main workplace and, in many cases, a second home for a significant number of Armenian citizens.
AZE.US