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The Russian HIV residence ban and state control of migration

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Abstract

This article explores how the Russian state exercises power over international migrants by continuing a 1995 ban on residence for HIV-positive foreigners. International migrants look for work in Russia, the largest host country for migration in the region of East Europe and Central Asia. I conducted qualitative interviews with service providers and health experts and analyzed cases in the database of a Moscow-based non-governmental organization (NGO) where HIV-positive international migrants seek HIV care. To secure permits to work and reside in Russia, they must prove HIV-negative status. I explored how Russia created legal uncertainty for those who are HIV-positive due to lack of legal employment and irregular residence status. I also explain how difficult it is to obtain antiretroviral treatment or other health services for HIV-positive migrants, and discuss epidemiologic, economic, and social implications of the Russian HIV residence ban in the light of the Russian migration policy.

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Acknowledgements

I am grateful to the team of the Moscow-based Steps Foundation, community health center that provides care to undocumented migrants with HIV, in particular, to Kirill Barsky, Alexander Kalinin, and Andrey Petrov. I also thank my supervisors, Ekaterina Demintseva from the Higher School of Economics, and Anna Bredström from Linköping University for productive discussions and thorough feedback provided to the draft of this article.

Funding

This article is the product of a research project implemented as part of the Basic Research Programme at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE), Moscow, Russia.

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  1. Higher School of Economics, Institute of Social Policy, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Slavyanskaya 4/2, Moscow, Russia, 101000

    Daniel Kashnitsky

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Correspondence to Daniel Kashnitsky.

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Kashnitsky, D. The Russian HIV residence ban and state control of migration. J Public Health Pol 41, 453–463 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41271-020-00242-1

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