Information Resource Center

In 2010-2013 the International Organization for Migration, together with UN Women and the World Bank, was implementing a Regional Program on Migration in Central Asia and Russia. The main goal of the regional program is to protect the rights and improve the socio-economic situation of migrant workers and their families. In the Russian Federation, one of the main objectives of the program is to promote the settlement of issues in the field of labour migration. Within the framework of this program, since October 2010, the Information Resource Center at the IOM Office in Moscow has been operating.

Organizational structure of the Information and Resource Center (IRC) provides for the provision of free consultation services (by phone of the “hot line”, as well as during personal appointments, field consultations and group trainings conducted by IRC employees) on a wide range of issues in the field of labor migration. Consultations are provided to all applicants, regardless of citizenship, gender, age, education, race, ethnicity and religion.

The main target group, which the IRC will focus on, are migrants who arrived on the territory of the Russian Federation in a visa-free manner in order to carry out labor activities. Additionally, within the framework of the activities of the IRC, information support will be provided to employers interested in the issues of hiring foreign labor; socially vulnerable groups of the population (including labor migrants with an unregulated legal status located on the territory of the Russian Federation); state and non-state structures working with migrants in the Russian Federation and the EurAsEC states, as well as the expert community.

The main goal of the activity of the IRC is to contribute to the reduction of illegal migration, by increasing the share of labor migrants with a regular legal status, as well as raising the awareness and awareness of labor migrants about their rights and obligations related to their stay and labor activity on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Main activities

Information and advisory: provision of information and advisory assistance to foreign citizens on a wide range of issues related to their stay and employment in the territory of the Russian Federation: providing advice on employment, resolving labor disputes, access to medical, social services and housing educational and vocational training opportunities for migrants (women and men) and members of their families;

Legal support: provision of legal support and legal support for migrant workers in matters related to their stay and employment in the territory of the Russian Federation, legal support in resolving labor disputes, in matters of access to social, medical services, education , housing;

Resource: collection and updating of information on issues of migration legislation, the legal status (rights and obligations) of migrants, as well as existing opportunities for adaptation and social integration of migrants and their families. Collection and development of information and training materials (printed, audio and video) for the purpose of their further use in the framework of ongoing advisory work and information campaigns aimed at raising awareness and knowledge of migrants about their rights, obligations and opportunities in the host society;

Analytical: based on the activities of the IRC staff - the collection, processing and analysis of the collected data. Creation of a data bank on the profile of applicants and the subject of applications, as well as a database of analytical materials for subsequent use in developing proposals and recommendations for improving existing migration legislation, improving the situation of migrant workers and their social integration into the host society;

Coordinating and networking: assistance in the development of a national network of organizations through improved exchange of information, materials and examples of good practices, participation in the creation of coordinated and unified approaches to the provision of services for migrant workers in the Russian Federation; assistance to state and public organizations, business entities in ensuring the fulfillment of tasks in the field of migration policy;

Development of interregional cooperation: improving the interaction of information resource and advisory centers for migrants operating in the states of Central Asia, assistance in the development of information and resource exchange, exchange of consulting and methodological materials and practices of the IRC, training and advanced training of employees of the centers, assistance in the creation of uniform standards for information and advisory activities, as well as the creation of a coordinated approach to collecting information for the information base on the activities of the ICC both in the states of origin and in the states of receiving labor migrants;

Educational: conducting an information and educational campaign on labor migration issues, interacting with the media, assisting in the development of strategies for the social integration of labor migrants in the Russian Federation, as well as the formation of a tolerant attitude of society towards migrants.

The main methods and forms of work with the target audience

• oral consultations conducted by telephone hotline and during a personal reception by the IRC staff;
• legal assistance and individual legal support (case management) – issues of legalization of stay and employment in the Russian Federation, legal assistance in resolving labor disputes, access to medical, social services and housing, educational opportunities, etc.;
• outreach work - field mobile consultations and information and explanatory work carried out in places of mass location (arrival, residence, work) of labor migrants. Monitoring, initial needs assessment, motivational counseling, dissemination of information and advisory materials adapted to the needs of the main target group;
• group trainings and thematic mini-seminars on the most topical issues related to staying and working in the Russian Federation, the basic rights and obligations of labor migrants, conducted both on the basis of the IRC, and on-site.

Range of issues on which advisory work is carried out

Block A: Migration

• Migration registration
• Work permit
• Patent
• Temporary residence permit
• Residence permit
• Citizenship of the Russian Federation

Block B. Labour legislation and labour relations

• Employment contract (types, procedure for concluding and terminating)
• Non-payment of wages, ways to solve the problem
• Occupational safety, working conditions
• Violation of human rights in labor relations
• Rights and obligations of employers when employing a foreign worker
• Opportunities for finding a job

Block B. Healthcare

• Access to health services, treatment and voluntary health insurance for migrants and their families
• Health protection and prevention of the spread of socially dangerous diseases (HIV, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, hepatitis, STIs)
• Fundamentals of reproductive health and family planning
• Opportunities for accessing health services and treatment for children of migrants, the elderly and people with disabilities
• Transportation of the bodies of the dead to their homeland

Block G. Social and educational block

• Opportunities to access social services
• Organizations involved in helping migrants (women and men)
• Opportunities for migrants and their families to receive pre-school, secondary, secondary vocational and higher education
• Upgrading and retraining opportunities for migrants
• Access to housing, housing solutions
• The basics of financial literacy (opening a bank account, the procedure for making money transfers to your homeland)
• Cultural and linguistic orientation

More about IRC activities

Online seminars and webinars

On January 17, 2013, at the initiative of the missions of the International Organization for Migration in Kazakhstan, Russia and Tajikistan, an online seminar, or webinar, was held for employees of the Centers for Assistance to Migrants operating under the Regional Program on Labour Migration in Central Asia and Russia, on the topic: “ Methods of social and legal work with migrants in receiving countries and countries of origin”.

The main purpose of this event was to share the accumulated experience and summarize the results of social and legal work with citizens both in the receiving countries and in the countries of origin of migrants. The experience gained has shown that with the help of webinars, it is possible to organize joint work of participants at a remote distance: communicate interactively, demonstrate presentations, and exchange files. Therefore, by combining offline and online meetings, the participants of the regional program were able to reach a new level of effective interaction.

The webinar was attended by consultants, social workers and lawyers of the Centers for assistance to migrants in cities such as Moscow, Astana, Almaty, Aktobe, Shymkent, Karaganda, Esik, Petropavlosk, Dushanbe. During the speeches, the lawyer of the Information Resource Center of IOM Moscow highlighted issues related to the new provisions of Russian legislation regarding the stay and employment of foreign citizens on the territory of the Russian Federation. The center's consultant also spoke about access to educational and medical services for migrant workers in the Russian Federation. Then the staff of the centers in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Russia shared their experience, talked about the methods and forms of information, advisory and social support for migrants by phone hotline, at personal meetings, during outreach and mobile consultations. At the end of the webinar, an online training session was held for social workers and consultants of the centers, dedicated to such an important and relevant topic in their daily work as the prevention of emotional burnout.

As a result of the event, all participants expressed their interest and readiness for further joint work, and also noted the speed, cost-effectiveness and efficiency of communication at the regional level via online webinars.

Photography course

In November 2012, at the initiative of the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in the Russian Federation, with the participation of the Bureau of the International Organization for Migration in Moscow and the Foundation for the Support of Documentary Photography on the territory of the former USSR, a free training course in photography was held for foreign students from Central Asian countries.

Oleg Klimov, teacher of master classes - documentary photographer, chairman of the Liberty.SU Foundation for the Support of Documentary Photography on the Territory of the Former USSR, conducted a theoretical and practical express course in photography for migrant students. The master classes were attended by over 30 students from various universities in Moscow, such as the Russian Academy of Economics (Plekhanov), State University of Management, MSTU (Bauman), Sholokhov Institute, as well as the Military University of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

The main objectives of the master classes were to encourage creative activity among young students who are citizens of foreign countries, to obtain additional professional skills in the field of photography, as well as to promote the formation of a sense of tolerance through the photo-artistic display of the city landscape, residents of the capital.

The general course of training in photography consisted of three theoretical lessons and several practical ones. The master classes were held in a friendly atmosphere, all students got to know each other, talked about their hobbies, actively participated in the discussion and asked questions of interest to them. For each lesson, the students prepared their homework: they took pictures on a predetermined topic - “Big City for Everyone”. The most successful final photographs, selected by the head of the master classes, were published in several printed and electronic publications, and information about this event was posted on website Liberty.SU.

Information campaign

Information campaign among labour migrants in Moscow “Labour migration without risks”

Between August -September 2011 Youth center of the South-East Administrative district in Moscow "Youth fellowship" with the support of the District Administration and jointly with Information-Resource center lead a number of information actions "Labour migration without risks."

These activities were aimed at informing migrants about organizations and free services available for migrants’ assistance, which facilitates all migration stages: departure, transportation and reception of migrants, also organizations which provide medical assistance and help in learning Russian language.

During two months students-volunteers disseminated around 2600 leaflets on the territory of “Vihkino” market, “Kuzminki”, “Vikhino”, “Ryazanskiy prospect” metro stations, shops and hostels of the South-East Administrative district, and also on the territory of the village “Octyabrskiy”, Lyubertsy district, Moscow region.

Mobile consultations

Mobile consultations in the train Dushanbe - Moscow

For the second year Moscow IOM Information resource center staff together with the counselors of Labor migrants Trade Union carry through mobile consultations in the trains coming from countries- donors of labor migrants. This year the first consultation in the train coming from Dushanbe, Tajikistan to Moscow, Russia was held on 17th of April starting from the station Povorino in Voronez region.

Consultations are held like free discussions. Counselors present themselves and tell about their organizations and assistance labor migrants can receive from them first. Then they inform labor migrants about how legally live and work in Russia, what steps should be done to receive work permit, medical and social insurance, is there any access to free education and qualification courses.
This time about 700 people 16 women among them were informed on legal stay in Russian Federation. Of course it is a drop in an ocean but it is good to realize these 700 people who come to work for the sake of their families and children now know where to apply for a help if needed and also can tell about such agencies to their fellows.

As we see who comes Russia for the first time do not understand what we are talking about. And when they understand what kind of information we share they start to ask a lot of questions so we need to repeat the given information. This time a great many of people already had been for work in Russian Federation and they wanted to know are there any changes in migration legislation. Participants were very active, they listened to the counselors attentively, asked questions and everybody tried to receive informational materials: info cards of Informational-resource center, «Kamilla» - magazine for women came to work in Russia and newspapers «The labor migration news».

The benefit and effect from these consultations is obvious. It is a proved mechanism of preventive informational activity and it can be more effective if hold it together with the representatives of Tajikistan Migration Service in Russian Federation.

Moscow – Povorino- Moscow
17 – 18 April, 2012

Vacancy fairs

Vacancy Fairs for Labour Migrants in Moscow

Starting from the 6th of December 2011 Department of Labour and Employment of Moscow city and Moscow Center for Labour Exchange in cooperation with the Bureau of IOM in Moscow organized nine vacancy fairs for labour migrants from CIS countries.

More then 100 participants (20% to 40% - women) usually attend the fairs. “Frankly speaking, we did not expect that this fair will attract such attention” - Andrey Kubyshkin, Head of the Department for External Labour Migration, says in his interview to Vesti TV Сompany while holding the first vacancy fair. “We decided to organize a pilot fair. But discovered a full house. The fair owes its existence Mr. Sergey Sobyanin, Moscow Mayor, who issued an instruction to improve work in the sphere of legal employment for migrants”.

Migrants are consulted on employment issues by representatives of human resources departments of ZIL plant and other big works.

Specialists of IOM Moscow Information-resource Center consult migrants in a separate booth, designed for IOM. The fairs are also attended by the representatives of the Committee on Labour and Employment of Kyrgyz Republic, of the Trade Union of Working Migrants, “Comtrud.ru” web portal, MOST Information Center and other organizations – CARMP partners as well as mass media.

New Year congratulations for migrants’ children

New Year Congratulations for Migrants’ Children!

On the 23rd of December 2011 MoneyGram remittances Company in cooperation with the Bureau of IOM in Moscow organized a New Year gift event in one of Moscow specialized schools of Russian language for migrants’ children.

Within the framework of international campaign called “Spreding the holiday magic”, which is organized in ten big cities of the world, representatives of MoneyGram presented an interactive study board and projector. These presents to children will serve as a good study aid. IOM staff from two projects: Central Asia Regional Migration programme and project on Readmission conveyed to children best wishes for a new year and presented colorful candies and greeting cards to everyone. Pupils of this school have arrived to Russia from different countries of the world (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Vietnam, Afghanistan and others) and now they study rules of Russian language; for the party they have prepared brilliant performances on Russian language, sang popular Russian songs and recited poems. In the end of the event a joint photo session was organized.

On December 23, 2010 representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) jointly with the colleagues from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF “Protection of children” programme) participated in organization of a New Year’s party for migrant’s children in one of Moscow Russian language schools for foreigners.

Specialized school of Russian language № 157, located in the Northern district of Moscow, includes several groups of foreign children, divided by age, which varied from 6 to 12 years. According to the director of school, practice shows that before being admitted to this school, children usually do not know Russian language, because they live in families where parents never speak Russian with them. But if parents realize that their children need integration in the Russian society they decide to help them by means of such schools. In order to show their parents the results of study of the Russian language and the level of children’s adaptation and integration, pupils with the help of their teachers prepared a great New Year’s show. Migrant’s children sang the Russian famous childish songs, recited poems and played vivid fairytales scenes in Russian. IOM colleagues played roles of Ded Moroz and Snegurochka. At the end of the celebration and performances children received presents from hands of Ded Moroz and his granddaughter Snegurochka – toy globes with sweets inside. All pupils, their parents and teachers were happy to participate in this celebration.

Trainings

Summer youth camp

For two consecutive years (2011, 2012) Moscow Information-Resource Center assistants are invited to conduct educational training to the summer camp, where pilot project on establishment of summer camp for young migrants was run upon the initiative of “Aga Khan” organization.

Organization of such camps appeal to help young migrant to naturalize in different ethnic and confessional environment – on the one hand, and save their national, religious and cultural identity – on the other, and also to provide new opportunities for self-improvement and development of migrants. For the period of two weeks about twenty five young people (mostly from Tajikistan) at the age of 18-25 years, from all Russian regions: from Saint-Petersburg to Novokuznetsk cities, participate in the summer school. IOM consultants successfully conduct theoretical and practical parts of the trainings while the participants demonstrate vivid interest and creative approach during the study process.

Training on health issues

On April 29, 2012 upon invitation from Center of migrant assistance “Opora Druzhby” Information-Resource Centre specialists conducted training on health issues for Tajik labour migrants, men and women.

In the classroom, equipped with the computers with free Internet access, on a big TV screen, Information-resource center consultants made two presentations, one of which was devoted to the legal aspects of receiving emergency and planned medical services by foreigners in Russia (adults and children) and also getting medical examination for proceeding work permit in Russia. Issues of getting medical assistance by pregnant migrant women in period of pregnancy and childbirth were highlighted additionally. The following presentation was devoted to the Tuberculosis problem. Main reasons, symptoms of Tuberculosis, precautionary measures and procedures in case of detection of this illness among foreign citizens, their children and friends were explained in very popular way.

Health issues and protection of human rights was perceived with a huge interest and understanding among labour migrants. Taking into account a large quantity of interested labour migrants and the necessity of raising the awareness among them on their rights and obligations during the residing and working period in Russia, it was agreed to conduct such trainings on a constant base.

Training for hot-line operators

On June 12-13, 2012 the training for “Union of crisis centers” operators was held in Almaty in frames of Regional programme on labour migration in Central Asia and Russia with the aim of the hot-line potential’s increasing in field of migration legislation for wider informing citizens on migration issues and prevention of irregular migration.

Information-resource center consultant was invited as one of the trainer to Almaty. As a result of the conducted training, hot-line operators got acquainted with the common tendencies of the migration process in the world, were informed on the current legislation according migration issues in Kazakhstan, got acquainted with the experience of the Information –resource center IOM Moscow activity and methods of work with the foreign citizens. Also the representative from the International organization for migration in Kazakhstan presented the new version of the enhanced data base on receiving applications to the operators.

The training was conducted in the interactive way, the operators took active participation and asked questions they were interested in. Also several practical exercises were presented to the attention of the participants for the strengthening of the received knowledge and skills and were successfully fulfilled.

Training on fight against TB for children

Bureau of International organization for migration took part in the activity “Together We Fight against TB!” which was organized in frames of All-Russian drawing contest and devoted to the World Day of Fight against TB.

In 2011 we mark 100 years since the first anti-TB Action in Russia “The White Flower of Life” with the symbol of white chamomile, known all over the world. The Russian Red Cross is one of the most active organizers and implementers of this Action. This anniversary year the Russian Red Cross announced the all-Russia Contest of Children Drawings under the slogan “Together We Fight against TB!”, devoted to 24th of March - World TB Day.

This year the Bureau of IOM in Moscow joined the initiative of the contest organization, and on the 3rd of March IOM colleagues did a mini-performance for migrants’ children and their teachers in Moscow school of Russian language #1450. In course of the play children knew about the essence of the TB problem and about importance of joint fight against tuberculosis of medical workers and the society. The scenario of the performance based on the plot of the popular Russian children’s tale “Doctor Ai-Bolit “, which tells about the doctor who was curing cubs and small children and taught them what to do to stay strong and healthy. Children have also took part in the brain storm play “Chamomile” –discussing the topic “How not to develop TB”. Children correctly named important measures for protection of own health and health of other people. In the end of the performance IOM colleagues announced the conditions of the contest of drawings and gave presents: materials for drawing for each child.

Teachers warmly thanked IOM staff members for the care and interest towards the kids and their health, and expressed desire for future cooperation.

On the 18th of March 2011 in the premises of the museum of the Russian Red Cross the jury of the Contest announced the winners. IOM Moscow has prepared ten prices for such achievements as “The Best Pencil-Work”, “For Thematic Presentation”, “For Originality”, the winners were awarded memorable gifts (plays and books). All migrants’ children received colorful certificated from IOM.