Regional aspect of youth migration attitudes in the Russian Arctic

The current stage of development of the Russian Arctic zone (AZ RF) dictates new tasks for development of these territories. In this vein, a special attention is paid to the demographic potential of the Arctic territories. The circulation of migration flows in the AZ RF makes its own adjustments to the reproduction of the population, especially among the mobile social group of young people. The purpose of the article is to identify the migration intentions of young people, the factors that contribute to formation of these intentions through actions, as well as the desire to stay in the Arctic among those young people who arrived. Consideration of the migration intentions of local and arrived youth aged 16–35 years in a descriptive sociological type of research in the Arctic space is the scientific novelty of the study. The information base of the study is the data from a sociological survey of young people from all regions of the AZ RF (N=8583). Migration intentions of the local youth and those who arrived in the AZ RF are active and specific in certain regions. Among the local youth, only one third plans to stay in the Arctic. Social ties, the search for favorable environmental and climatic conditions, educational opportunities and personal reasons play a role in the formation of migration intentions, backed up by actions. Young people come to the AZ RF mainly for the purpose of employment and earnings and to the regions with educational centers — to study and work. To a greater extent, settlement of the newly arrived youth is temporary and replaceable. The authors identified the main problem issues and points of development of the territories of the Russian Arctic in the context of retaining young people with the account of the results of the survey on the causes of migration.

incoming migration of youth, outgoing migration of youth, migration factors, Arctic zone of Russia, youth