Published: 15 January 2026
This article presents the results of a sociological study on the migration attitudes of immigrants from the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Chelyabinsk region. While migration from Northern Kazakhstan to the Southern Urals plays a significant role in compensating for population decline, the attitudes of migrants, their motivations, and integration trajectories remain insufficiently studied. The aim of the research is to identify the main trajectories and motivations for relocation, determine the migration attitudes of respondents, and assess the receiving population's perspective. The empirical base consists of data from a sociological survey of 400 migrants from Kazakhstan conducted in September-December 2025 in Chelyabinsk, Magnitogorsk, Kopeysk, and Troitsk, as well as 60 in-depth interviews that provided insights into the more complex narratives related to motivation and future planning. The statistical error of the sample does not exceed 5% with a confidence level of 95%. It was found that the majority of respondents belong to two waves of migration - the 1990s and the period after 2014, with a significant portion arriving from the Kostanay region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Key reasons for migration included the lack of jobs in the country of origin, dissatisfaction with high levels of corruption, and the absence of social mobility. It was shown that over half of the respondents view their stay in Russia as permanent, yet a significant portion engages in transnational strategies that allow them to diversify risks associated with economic and political instability«here» and «there.» The receiving population's attitude is predominantly assessed by respondents as neutral, which is attributed to the ethnic closeness of most migrants to the Russian population. The results obtained can be utilized in the development of regional adaptation and integration programs for migrants, as well as in further research on the transnational migration strategies of Russian Kazakhstanis.