Legalization of Migrant Women from Central Asian Countries in the Care Services for the Elderly
Abstract
In this article, I analyze the recruitment and legalization of women from Central Asian countries who come to Russia to work in care services for the elderly. Drawing on fieldwork conducted in 2023, I show how workers from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan operate in this labor market and, in particular, how they achieve (or fail to achieve) legal status. Using the theoretical concept of 'illegality,' I analyze the barriers that migrant care workers face in obtaining the necessary documents; the role that their employers play in their legalization in Russia, and the meaning of being 'legal' in the country. I conclude that one of the most important barriers to legalization is the dependence of workers on individuals — their employers. Migrant women are aware of the reluctance of employers to facilitate legalization or their ignorance of the relevant procedures involved. They therefore seek legalization in the country with the help of intermediaries. This method of ‘legalization’ allows foreign women to stay in the country legally and also suits employers who prefer not to take legal responsibility for foreign workers in Russia.