OSH/MOSCOW -- Aktilek, an entrepreneur from Kyrgyzstan, worked in Russia for a decade as a street-cleaner, cook, and taxi driver before returning to his homeland due to illness.
After launching a car import business in his native city of Osh, the 32-year-old was shocked when he returned to Moscow last month for the first time in four years.
"The difference between the old Russia and the new one is huge," said Aktilek, who only gave his first name.
He was stopped three times in a single day during his trip, he said, after being interrogated upon his arrival.
"As bad as it sounds, migrants there are treated like something to wipe your shoe with by both police and ordinary people," the businessman said.
For decades, Russia has been the main destination for millions of Central Asian workers, who have faced harassment and discrimination. But rising attacks and discrimination against migrants in recent years as well as the sliding Russian economy have lessened Russia's appeal.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which triggered international sanctions, has hit the economy and diminished the value of the ruble.
Meanwhile, Russia has deported or banned entry to tens of thousands of Central Asian migrants since the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) extremist group attacked a concert hall outside Moscow in March, killing around 140 people.
Several Tajik citizens were arrested over their alleged involvement in the worst attack in Russia in decades. The men appeared in court bearing clear signs of beating and torture.
"After the incident at Crocus City Hall, they started checking registrations and inspecting everything much more strictly," said a Kyrgyz migrant living in Moscow.
"They held us for five hours [in the airport]. They asked: 'What is your purpose for coming here?' They even checked our phones," he recalled.
'No Concessions'
Central Asians make up the vast majority of Russia's foreign workforce.
Many who still work in Russia cite economic uncertainty and police checks as some of their biggest concerns.
The year "2024 was a tough one. We mostly worked just to cover our expenses," said one migrant from Uzbekistan.
"I haven't heard anything good. News reports mention new laws [on migration]. I don't know what these laws are," said a Kyrgyz migrant who did not reveal his name for security reasons. "But I understand it will be a new year for migrants. There will be no concessions after this."
According to Russia's Interior Ministry, 143,000 people were denied entry to Russia from January to July this year, a significant spike compared to 2023.
Nearly 93,000 people were deported from Russia, a 53 percent rise compared to the same time last year, according to the ministry.
Some Central Asian migrants are choosing to leave of their own accord.
According to Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Ministry, around 587,000 Kyrgyz were officially registered as living and working in Russia in 2022. This summer, the ministry said the figure had fallen to around 411,000.
Europe And South Korea No Panacea
As fewer Central Asian migrants move to Russia for work, more are seeking employment in Europe and South Korea.
In September, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev reached a migration deal with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, although neither side noted the size of the quota agreed.
Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Ministry has cited a near doubling of the number of its citizens now registered as working in South Korea, from 8,000 in 2022 to 15,000 this year. Uzbekistan's Migration Service has said 92,000 Uzbek citizens are working legally in South Korea.
Wages in more developed countries can be significantly higher for foreign workers. But other countries appear unwilling to take in as many migrant workers as Russia.
Ironically, the growing workforce shortage in Russia is pushing up the wages that some Central Asian migrants can earn.
In the summer, the Russian research platform Migrant Servis reported that wages offered to migrants in industrial factories had risen from 105,000 rubles (less than $1,200) per month in January to 145,000 rubles (around $1,600) per month in June, and predicted future wage increases if the shortages continued.
"Those who wanted to go back to Kyrgyzstan left. Our paperwork became harder. Those who wanted to work here, still work here," said one Kyrgyz migrant who spoke on condition of anonymity.
