Migrants from Central Asia in Moscow have up to two times as many children as Muscovites
March 12, 2024
The difference is 1.5 times with more single migrants.
Migrants from Central Asia living in Moscow and the Moscow region have at least one and a half times more children than Muscovites. This is stated in an article published in the last issue of the magazine "Demis. Demographic research."
Authors from the Institute of Demographic Research of the Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University named after Yeltsin (Bishkek) conducted a questionnaire survey of migrants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in February-March 2023. At the same time, a survey of Muscovites was also conducted for comparison. They note that the study does not claim to be representative. But even without this, the results of the survey are more than eloquent, they emphasize the fundamental difference in reproductive behavior and values between Muscovites and migrants.
Almost 1,000 people, about 200 of each of the listed countries in Central Asia, as well as Muscovites, were interviewed. Among the latter, only 55% were indigenous Muscovites, the rest of the profits in the capital's agglomeration from other regions, that is, they are internal migrants, although they are Russians. Only people aged 18-45, that is, of reproductive age, were interviewed. Age cohorts of 18-25, 26-35, 36-45 years are represented equally among citizens of all countries.
The marital status of migrants and Muscovites is interesting. There is even a slight advantage among Muscovites: they are 44% married, while migrants are 38%. Single and unmarried Muscovites 31%, migrants - 40%. The rest are divorced or live in cohabitation (approximately the same among migrants and Muscovites). That is, the marital status, all other things being equal, contributes to a greater number of children in Muscovites. However, in fact, everything turned out to be completely different. If one and two children have approximately the same number of migrants and Muscovites (24% and 22%), three have 9% of migrants and slightly more than 3% of Muscovites. And more than three children - 6% of migrants and only 1% of Muscovites. The total number of large migrants is almost 4 times more than Muscovites (15% versus 4.4%). It is worth noting that not all children live with migrants in Moscow or the Moscow region. From a third to half live in their homeland. Although most children still live with migrants.
In the 18-25 age group, 14% of migrants have children, while among Muscovites - 8%. This increases the gap in the number of older children. Thus, 42% of migrants and 55% of residents of the Moscow agglomeration are aimed at a small family type (1-2 children). And for large children (3 or more) - 42% of migrants and 17% of residents of the capital region. The difference is 2.5 times!
Value orientations also differ significantly. Migrants are 30% more likely to agree with the statement that creating their own family is the main life goal and achievement. To the question "Which of the following is the most important for you personally?" in the rating of migrants, the first place is taken by the answer "Stronge family, good children". For Muscovites, this answer takes 2-4th place.
Another characteristic answer: 74% of migrants and only 43% of Muscovites declared the importance of religious traditions and customs.
As for family values, both migrants and Muscovites called mutual love, mutual support and respect, consent of spouses on all key issues. But 42% of migrants mentioned loyalty, while Muscovites do not have this answer in the answer table. Probably only a few people remember this. At the same time, 32% of Muscovites called mutual satisfaction with the sexual life of spouses. Migrants do not have this answer in the table. At the same time, the number of children of Muscovites focused on sexual satisfaction is much lower.
According to the survey, on average there are more than 1.2 children per migrant, while there are 0.8 per muscovite, i.e. one and a half times less. However, given that more than a third of migrant children, according to the survey, live in their homeland, in Moscow itself, migrants should have about the same number of children as Muscovites. At the same time, it is worth remembering that there are many more single and unmarried migrants. So the gap, all other things being equal, can be up to 2 times. This is almost consistent with the birth rate in Russia and Central Asian countries (less than 1.5 and about 3).
There are also big differences in the idea of the family hierarchy. The head of the family is someone from the older generation, 18% of migrants and 4% of Muscovites believe. The father was named the head of the family by 48% of migrants and 32% of Muscovites. But equality was supported by 58% of Muscovites and 30% of migrants.