Integration of migrants from Nigeria to Russia

Fig.

Having come up with the cycle forming the 3 Es (Education, Economy,and Environment), it shows the welcoming institutions of integration that applies to the migratory movement of Nigerians into Russia. The education institution looks into the programmes initiated by the receiving academic institutions to ensure the integration process of the Nigerians coming for academic purposes. The economy explains the labour market, wages,and salary, prospect of getting employment opportunities and discrimination. The environment category looks into the role of settlement area, accessibility to housing service, migrant's social and cultural network. I used the analysis of the interactions between all of these institutions to explain the level of socio-economic integration of Nigerian labour migrants in Russia.

Before the fieldwork started, I envisaged some possible challenges that could affect the realization of a successful research. Firstly, I anticipated refusal to grant me audience by some people due to the ethnic division in Nigeria. I expected this because of my initial experienced during my previous fieldwork but this problem did not appear because all of my respondents were willing to support my research and did not consider the aspect of ethnic differences. However, the major challenge that I encountered during the fieldwork was tracking the respondents in order to have an interview with them. Some of the respondents after giving their consent to have an interview with them would unexpectedly send a message that they won't be available for the interview. Another problem I faced was the frailty of the respondents to remember the totality of what they have been through.

Chapter Three: Findings

According to Crul, analysing the outcomes of migrants' integration into their host community does not have a similar theoretical framework that is dominant across all countries (Crul, 2016). I also support this position that migration issues should be studied empirically in different countries because migration theories may not have the same application and usage in countries. The process of integration of Nigerian labour migrants in Russia is also unique in its own dimension. Using the year of arrival in Russia (for some, former USSR), I divided my respondents into two groups. The classification is, however, necessary in order to understand the situation and compare the two periods. There were 6 respondents who arrived during the USSR and 15 who arrived after the disintegration of the USSR who participated in this research.

The arrivals during the period Soviet Union are those that are part of foreigners within the territory that witnessed the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the transition from the closed economy (a country that is self-sufficient in her economic system and had no trading activities with other countries. During this period, citizens and foreigners are provided with everything they need within the shores of the country) to an open economy building a democratic state with a market economy. With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, and Russia inheriting the mantle from the Soviet State, Russia became a popular destination for foreigners mostly from countries that were formerly republics during the Soviet era. The migration report for 2017 reveals that Russia is the fourth country with the largest number of migrants in the world (United Nations, 2018).

Reason for Coming to Russia

The research reveals that there is an increase in the trend of migratory movement of Nigerians to Russia. However, there are different reasons why Nigerians living in Russia choose the country as their place destination.It is interesting to note that all those who arrived during the USSR came only to study which could be explained from the series of bilateral agreement that existed between Nigeria and the USSR.

“I have been hearing about the communist state and I was very inquisitive to know how things operate in such a country. When the opportunity came to study abroad the first option that came to my mind was the USSR.”

(Raymond, aged 53 USSR group)

The above quotation from one of the respondents that arrived during the period of the Soviet era states the motive for the migration to the communist state was due to his inquisitive nature to experience the communist idea. This opinion was also shared by another respondent who arrived during the Soviet period. All the respondents in the interview that came during the Soviet Union all came for the purpose of education.

“…any student who came to study had a clearly defined number of years during which he or she lived and studied and after the completion of his or her studies, the Soviet government made provision for his travel back to his home country.” (Enoch, aged 54 USSR group)

All the Nigerians who came to the Soviet Union to study have a defined number of years that they would spend within the territory of the Soviet states. This quotation was also corroborated by all the respondents that arrived during the Soviet period.

“I had no plans of travelling out of Nigeria to study but my coming to the Soviet Union was just an opportunity that opened up. I had wanted to study Information and Communication Technology and when the opportunity came up to study in Russia, I had to grab it because as at then, the USSR was one of the leading countries that offers the course” (Seyi, aged 52 USSR group)

However, the respondents that who arrived after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, there were more than one reasons for their migration. Unlike the migrants who arrived during the Soviet era, three reasons were discovered for their migration to Russia. Seven (7) of respondent also came for an academic purpose, six (6) for the purpose of having an improved economic life while two (2) of the respondents came in order to reunite with their spouses.

“I was already in the university when I got the federal government scholarship to study but because of the incessant closure of universities, I applied for the scholarship. There were three options opened to me which I had to select one. Among the countries listed were Hungary, Russia and one other country that I could not remember. Out of the countries, I selected Russia because I felt that it is the most developed of all the countries listed and not only that, a lot of scientists whom I have read about are Russians which also influenced my decision” (David, aged 34 Russian group)

The above quotation states the reasons why some of the respondents decided to choose Russia as their country of destination. This quote was also shared by another respondent.

“…as a student studying outside the country (Nigeria), you know when you begin your academic session and when you will graduate. With lecturers being on strike, I had to make a decision to leave the country because I was not getting any younger and only God knows how long the strike would last.” (Ken, aged 33 Russian group)

From the two quotations shown above, the respondents explained their reason to choose to study abroad.The declining and deteriorating standard of the education system in Nigeria is a factor that necessitated their decision to migrate. The education system in Nigeria is faced with numerous problems ranging from poor teaching environments to the administration of the education system (Odia & Omofonmwan, 2007) which necessitate students to explore other alternatives to study overseas.

Another cue from the reasons from the two groups of arrival is that for the respondents that arrived during the USSR refutes the claims that the Soviet Unionwas not a destination country for migrants (Curtis, 1996). The USSR was not a place of destination because of the system that was operational in the country. The country was a regulated country where goods were produced internally and distributed among the populace. The set of migrants who come into the USSR are either students or government delegates who are on official assignments. Also, migrants who came to study new from the unset of their coming when they will exit the country to migrate back to their home country. As some of the respondents pointed out,

“… the breaking of the Iron Curtain allowed most of them to stay back because the new Russian government was not ready to take the responsibility of paying for their flight ticket back home and that accounted for the reason why some got married to Russians because that was the only way to get the Russian citizenship then.” (Enoch, aged 54 USSR group)

The disintegration of the USSR opened up the country to become friendlier to foreigners. One of the respondents who also transited from the USSR to the Russian Federation remarked that “I stayed back after my education because I saw opportunities to explore which previously do not exist, so I tapped into it.” (Raymond, aged 53 USSR group)

Curtis (1996), state that stabilizing the macroeconomy and restructuring were the two fundamental goes that marked the transition of the Russian economy from a centrally planned economy to a market-based which made the economy commercially controlled. Opening the Russian market to foreign investors would, therefore, allow the market to operate efficiently guided by commercial laws. A respondent who arrived after the break of the USSR said:

“My desire has been to engage in international business, I have a passion for in that direction for years and for me to actualize my dream, I needed to take a step that was why I decided to take the step…. I choose to come to Russia because Russia is a great country with great potentials and at the same time, it is one of the great countries in the world. I came in to explore their culture and their way of life also.” (Chike, aged 37 Russian group)

The quotation above states that the respondent's desire to engage in international business was the major influence on his decision to migrate. He decided to choose Russia as his country of destination because of the potentials that abound in the country.

“I was a professional footballer in Nigeria before coming to Russia in search of a better football career on the promise of an agent which did not eventually work out then I decided to use what I have to get what I want because I already had an HND, I began to go to schools to be hired as a teacher”

(Buchi, aged 39 Russian group)

The quotation above shows that the respondent was in search of a better opportunity in his football career but after been unable to achieve this, he decided to get employment as a teacher.

“My reason for coming to Russia is to join my husband…”

(Mope and Raliat, aged 32 and 44 Russian group)

The above quotation was made by two of the respondents who stated that their purpose of coming to Russia was to reunite with their husbands. This is another trend that started happening after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. That the country became opened to foreigners also allowed some women to unite with their husbands living in Russia. A family reunification law allows migrant women whose husbands are in Russia. Though, this is subject to application at the embassy and also the relationship that existsbetween Russia and the country of origin of the migrants.

Academic Attainment and Skill Acquisition

Nigeria and the Russian Federation have a mutual agreement on education and this is a factor that accounts for the number of Nigerians who migrate for academic purpose in Russia. However, the process of amassing human capital starts with education and other skill acquisition (De Paola & Brunello, 2016) which is parts of the indicators that ensure the integration process of migrants into the market system and also the social spheres of the host country. It is imperative to consider the highest academic qualification of these two groups of migrants. The quotes below explain the height of educational attainment which also displays a sharp disparity between the USSR group and the Russian group. For the USSR group, four (4) of the respondents already had a doctoral certificate while two (2) indicated that they are yet to complete their doctoral degree. All of them had their education in the Russian language which could describe the duration they had spent communicating mostly in the Russian language.

“I started my education with the one-year language class called the Preparatory Faculty (ïîäãîòîâèòåëüíûéôàêóëüòåò) after which I proceeded to my bachelors where I was also thought about the Russian history and culture. On the completion of my bachelors, I continued to the master's level because the scholarship that I got was to cover both the bachelors and masters programme. I also got a scholarship to proceed to the doctoral level which I also completed. I arrived during the Union of the Soviet Republic but I completed my education in the Russian Federation” (Sekoni, aged 50, USSR group)

The above quotation applies to most of the respondents in the USSR group. For the respondents in the Russian group who came to Russia to study, they also went through the Russian language preparatory class but unlike the USSR group, most of them did not continue to complete their education through the doctoral level. Seven (7) of the respondents came to Russia to study out of which only one had completed the doctoral programme while out of the four (4) that already had their masters, two are in the process of completing their doctoral programme. Three (3) of the respondents in the Russia group only had the diploma. On the course of their study, they were thought the Russian history and culture which gave them a proper understanding of the new society they found themselves.

“I came to Russia to study and first to study the language programme to understand Russian. I already had my bachelors before leaving Nigeria but because of the language, I was talked over to do my bachelors again for four years before following it up with my masters” (Ken, aged 33 Russian group)

The quotation above indicates that the respondent already had a university degree before coming to Russia but in order to bridge the gap in the language differences, after the completion of the language class, he was advised to have another diploma in Russia in order to understand the language better because his programme was taught using the Russian language.

“I studied in Russia on the Federal Government of Nigeria scholarship in 2003 but after the completion of my masters I went back to Nigeria and came again in 2013 after a three-year break in Nigeria to reunite with my husband who was already working and also having his Ph.D. here.” (Mope, aged 32 Russian group)

The above statement indicates that respondents left Nigeria to Russia to reunite with her husband even though she had earlier studied up to the master's level in Russia. On the completion of her studies, she had to leave Russia but was only able to come back because of family reason. She had already studied to the master's level before coming back to Russia.

“I finished from the University of Abuja in 2005 where I studied Computer Science with a second class upper and was able to gain employment in the hospitality industry where I served for about five years before I left the country to come to Russia for a greater business exposure.”

(Chike, aged 37 Russian group)

The above quotation indicates that the respondent came purposely because of a better economic condition. He already had his university education in Nigeria with a diploma and had also gotten a job where he worked but having an improved and better opportunities brought him to Russia.

“I had my Higher National Diploma in Nigeria and postgraduate diploma and after arriving in Russia, I had my masters and currently undergoing my Ph.D.”

(Buchi, aged 39 Russian group)

The quotation above indicates that the respondents already had a Higher National Diploma (HND) and also a postgraduate diploma which qualifies him to continue at the master's level here in Russia.

“…I already had my Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Nigeria and after my education, I opened a shop where I make hair because,during my study years, I virtually sponsored myself to complete my OND during which I also learned how to make hair”

(Raliat, aged 44 Russian group)

The quotation above indicates that the respondents already had her Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Nigeria before coming to Russia to reunite with her husband. She also had acquired a skill before departing the shores of Nigeria.

“…I finished my OND before coming to Russia and I choose to come to Russia because I believe that one can achieve anything one is set to achieve in life, it is all about the mindset. ... I learned how to make hair in Nigeria. When I was still in school, I do make hair for my friends and I saw it as a means ofkeeping myself busy and I decided to start making hair as a business”

(Tiwa, aged 27 Russian group)

Language Barrier

One of the biggest challenges that immigrants experience when they find themselves in a new environment is the language of the people. Language is used in daily activities among people which make it a very important aspect of migrants' social and economic integration. Just like education, there are also different ways through which proficiency in a foreign language could be attained; it could be by formal or informal means of acquisition. For immigrants to fully and actively participate in every aspect of the host country, getting involved in the cultural facet will hasten up their integration process. It is therefore very expedient to understand the language of the host country in order to be able to relate to them. For all the respondents that came initially to study, as mentioned earlier, they all studied the Russian language which makes it very easy for them to break the language barrier that could have deprived them of getting employment opportunities. However, for the respondents that arrived in Russia for either family reunification or economic purpose, they had to scheme a way to break the barrier of the language deficiency. According to some of the respondents,

“When I arrived Russia, my husband enrolled me into a language school where I learned the Russian language but I can't say confidently that I could speak the language very well”

(Raliat, aged 44 Russian group)

The quotation above indicates that the spouse of the woman who came to Russia to reunite with her family enrolled her in a language school to learn the Russian language. She also affirmed that though she studied the language, she cannot boldly say that she knows the language quite well but she can still communicate using the language. As indicated in an earlier quotation, the other woman who came to reunite with her family came initially to study and as a result, she could speak and understand the language, the culture and also some aspect of the Russian history.

“…on my first trip to Russia in 1984 to visit my cousin who served at the Nigerian embassy which makes it easy for me to visit her. I was able to make some friends when I came and when my sister completed the training, one of the friends I had made invited me to come. On my second trip to Russia in 1999,my girlfriend who was a Russian speaks the English language makes it easy for me to adapt because she does correct me whenever I make mistakes in my expressions, I also read some books to study the language. Basically, I can say that I learned the Russian language on the street.”

(Joseph, aged 57 Russian group)

From the quotation above, the respondents indicate that he was able to make some friends the first time he visited the USSR who were parts of the people that made helped to increase his knowledge of the Russian language but the major tutelage was done by his girlfriend who also accommodated him when he arrived. In simple terms, he was able to learn the Russian language through self-study.his proficiency of the Russian language is however on the average scale.

“Though learning the language wasn't easy but I believe that anything you try with persistence, you will succeed; it is all about interest so I have to try as much as possible to actually equip myself by learning about the language through YouTube and read more about their culture and their beliefs so I was able to guide myself on how to relate to them.”

(Chike, aged 37 Russian group)

The above quotation is from another respondent who came to Russia for business opportunities. As indicated, the respondent also had to have a self-study of the language. The quote shows that the respondent was able to learn the language via YouTube. The language proficiency of the respondent according to him is average.

“Before I travelled, I already had the mindset that if you will have to live with people of different language even if it were to within Nigeria, for a Yoruba to live with an Igbo, communication is the key thing. Before leaving Nigeria, the best way to really settle in is learning to communicate. Communication makes you get more friends and more familiar with the people. For me, it was a priority to learn how to speak the Russian language, so I ask questions a lot.”

(Tiwa, aged 27 Russian group)

The above quotation also shows the determination of a respondent who came to Russia purposely to get involved in the economic system. For the respondent, she thought herself the Russian language by asking for clarification of any new Russian word that she hears and could communicate with Russians and will get to understand each other. She understands the basics of the Russian language.

The quotations below by some of the respondents attest to the fact that knowledge of the language of the host country which in this case is Russia, is extremely important for integration.

“…knowing the language of the country you are living is a security. It makes you belong to the society”

(Justice, aged 51 USSR group)

“…with one language, you are one person, with two languages, you are two persons. The knowledge of the Russian language made me part of the people. Now, Russia is my second home.”

(Tonye, aged 54 USSR group)

The two quotations above are indications of the importance of knowing the language of the host community in order to have a sense of belonging to the community. For the respondents, having the knowledge of the language is a form of security which fosters one's inclusiveness in the community.

Employment Challenge

The dominant theories in the study of migration currently consider the assumption that migration is chiefly because of economic motives (Kurekova, 2011) which have increasingly been a subject of criticism among scholars. The economic institution is an integral part that ensures migrants' integration in the host country. For these migrants, they were faced with different challenges in the labour market which helped to shape their perspective of the society.

“…before coming to Russia, I have learned to be self-dependant. While studying, I had been striving to sustain myself because I was not a scholarship student and having managed to complete my masters, I was retained by the company I started working for while studying then I felt that I would not be able to combine my study with work so I decided not to further my education..… I still work with the same company till now because for foreigners, mostly blacks it is not easy to get a job in Russia.”

(Ken, aged 33 Russian group)

The respondent in the quotation above explained that he had to work in order to sustain himself and pay his tuition fees but had to stop his education after having his masters certificate to concentrate more on the work because he was only fortunate to get the job in the first place. Also, though he stated that he has thought of changing the job but it a risk he is not prepared to make because it is not likely that he would get another job within the nearest possible time.

“After completing my masters' degree, I went back to Nigeria and came back to Russia to have my Ph.D. On the completion of my Ph.D., I stayed back in Russia because I had something I was doing then felt there was no need going back to Nigeria. To get job opportunities in Russia, you need education, sold documents and knowledge of the Russian language but in most cases, they ask for citizenship. Having one job is not enough here in Russia. You see a lot of Nigerians having more than one jobs they do.”

(Tonye, aged 54 USSR group)

The above quotation expresses the opinion of the respondent to the criteria to get employment opportunities in Russia. He said there are two things that qualify one insecuringa job in Russia. Education and having a valid document that confirms one as a legal migrant but in most cases, having a citizenship status gives a high possibility of employment.

“…challenges are quite high for instance; the luxury of being able to move from one job to the other is not there. If you want to change job, you will have to think twice before following through with the decision because the possibility of getting another is not very certain and may take a long period before finally getting one…”

(Seyi, aged 52 USSR group)

The quotation above reveals that as migrants, the likelihood of changing places of work is not guaranteed because there are no such possibilities of getting another. This quotation, however, confirms the opinions of most of the migrants as those who are employed by an organization attest that they havebeen working in their present place of employment for a long time. This indicates that there is no assurance of economic mobility for the migrants.

“I have noticed a trend in the labour market. When I was a student, it was almost impossible for a student to get a job but now, students can work even though not officially”

(Mope, aged 32 Russian group)

For the respondent in the above quotation, there is a change in the possibility of being employed in Russia. Though the respondent came initially as a student migrant, her second coming was for family reunification. Going by her experience, there is an improvement in the employment chances of migrants (Nigerians) getting employment opportunities.

“…no room for employment for non-citizens because there are lots of foreigners in this country who are not doing anything. They are engaged in menial jobs and even the menial jobs, they are not exposed enough to get it. Employment here is not actually encouraging to foreigners. I was engaged in many of such jobs before I decided to start my own business.”

(Chike, aged 37 Russian group)

The above quotation shows that there are no chances of foreigners being employed in Russia. Most of the opportunities opened to the migrants are menial jobs which are not encouraging to the migrants. He recounted his own experience that he had many of such jobs in order to sustain himself before he had his own business.

“Because of the system that is in operation in Russia, there are job opportunities but the jobs are not for foreigners, they are for Russians. It is a little bit difficult for foreigners to secure a good job as far as the Russian Federation is a concern. Most jobs foreigners do are the menial ones such as distributing fliers on the street.”

(Wigwe, aged 48 Russian group)

The quote above indicates that there are job opportunities in Russia but the system allows the native citizens to be highly considered for employment which makes it difficult for foreigners to secure employment.

Transition and Adaption

For the student migrants, there is a need to have a change of status that will guarantee and legalize their stay in the country.

“… in our own time, it wasn't that difficult because we were thrown from one society to a new one but then, right now, if you are changing your status from a student to a worker, it's not exactly what it used to be before because the status is different. The present Russia has it that for you to swap from one status to the other, you have to go out of the country and come in again. Previously, it wasn't that. Youcould just change your status but now it is quite different. It is because the society changes and new laws are put in place.”

(Enoch, aged 54 USSR group)

The above quotation indicates that there are changes in the process of transiting and changing a student status to a labour status. For the respondents who were part of the transition from the Soviet Union era to the present Russian Federation, one could easily change one's legal status during the country's transition but the process is quite different from what it used to be before.

“The only way for a foreigner to stay in Russia if you are not an expert working is by marriage. Changing my status was not very easy. Even after marriage, it took about five years before I could change my status and get the permanent resident which is also renewable every five years.”

(Seyi, aged 52 USSR group)

The quotation above shows the process involved to for a student to change the status that would allow for a legal stay in Russia. For the respondent, he was able to change is status by marriage but confirmed that it was not an easy process. Marriage to a native is one way to become a citizen of the country which makes the migrant a legal occupant of the country.

“...there are only two ways to change one's status which is either you having an investment here or getting married to the citizen of this country. Taking the second process, it will require you going out of Russia then your wife will send you an invitation that will bring you back into the country. Then you will now start gathering the necessary documents which also involves stringent procedures. Completing the procedure, you get the temporal stay which is for three years, then the permanent stay which is for five years and then the citizenship.”

(Tonye, aged 54 USSR group)

The above quotation indicates that there are two ways known to the respondent through which a foreigner can change his residence status. To the respondent, having a property with which one can lay claim to and then apply to have a legal stay in the country. The other means is getting married to a Russian but would still require the foreigner to first go out of the country then the wife would invite him to come and afterward begin a paperwork that would confirm his status as a legal resident in the country. From the quotation, the respondent also claims that the paperwork is also very stringent and it is also likely that some might be denied the resident stay. When the whole process is finally completed, at first, such a person would be given a temporal stay that is for a period of three years and thereafter, gets a permanent stay which lasts for five years and lastly, gets the citizenship. The respondent, however, confirmed that he went through such process, so he understands how it works and he presently has the Russian citizenship.

“Transiting from having a student status to a labour status was quite smooth. Just like it is now, one would have to travel back to his home country then the organization where one works will send an invitation to the embassy. Initially, one would have to travel back to the country every year to renew the visa but it is presently every three years.”

(Sekoni, aged 50, USSR group)

The quotation above indicates that a new trend of transition which most of the student migrants go through in order to change their status. This is the new policy for those who are not married to a Russia. They would have to travel back to their country then reapply to come back on the invitation of the organization they are working for or they intend to work for.

“What was needed to change my status then was that the company I was working for sent an invitation to enter the country. This, however, implies that I have to leave the country first then come back using the invitation sent by the company. It was actually very easy because even at the Russian Embassy in Nigeria, I was not subjected to much questioning and I didn't even speak a single Russian word. I can say that my transition was very smooth though on arriving Russia, I had to do some paperwork but it is not that it was difficult because they were necessary to be dome.”

(David, aged 34 Russian group)

As stated by the respondent who gave the above quotation, he had a smooth transition from having a student visa to a work visa though he had to leave Russia first and then come back on the invitation of the company. This is a similar trend to what some of the respondents had to observe to change their legal status in living and working in Russia.

“I can say that while studying, I was already in the process of transition because I already met my wife and I already had a child before I completed my studies. I can say that for a foreigner like me who is married to a Russian, changing my status requires me applying for a temporal citizenship first which is for a period of three years and then apply for the permanent citizenship which is renewable after five years”

(Ken, aged 33 Russian group)

The quotation above is similar to one shared by an earlier respondent who is from the USSR group. This shows the uniformity of the process through which some of the respondents transiting from being a foreigner to applying for the Russian citizenship.



Housing Issue

Access to housing decent and affordable housing is more difficult to people living outside their country of origin and in most cases, landlords are often not willing to give their house to tenants of migrants' origin for the fear of possible depreciation of the house (Council of Europe, 2007). Migrants also often face discrimination in getting accommodation in the host community (ILO, IOM, OHCHR, UNHCR, 2001). The settlement areas where the migrants live also play an integral role in their integration process (Demintseva, 2017).

“When I came as a student there was an integrated system whereby people of different countries are made to live together in a room such as Pakistani, Bangladesh, and Chinese. But where I live now, there are lots of Africans living there, mostly Nigerians but not that they live together in a street but on different streets. You could easily get to see persons of the black race.”

(David, aged 34 Russian group)

The quotation above indicates that when he first arrived as a student, he was made to live among people of different nationals in order to foster interaction and integration among the students. He did not live among his countrymen but with citizens from other countries. After he got a job and needed to get an apartment where he will stay, the environment where he stays have a lot of Africans but mostly Nigerians. He, however, emphasized that it is not that they dominate the environment but that one can easily come across blacks.

“Accommodation is not so easy to get. It took me about two months before I got where I am living presently. The most annoying thing there is that the agents you call to get the accommodation is likely to turn you down because you are not a Russia. They will tell me: íåò, òîëüêîÑëàâÿí(No, only Slavs). It's really difficult to get an apartment”

(Ola, aged 25 Russian group)

The above quotation shows the discrimination that the respondent is exposed to in trying to get an accommodation. Getting accommodation is not easy and even when he finally gets one, he got turned down. In some cases when the agent knows that tenant is a Black, they would emphatically say that the apartment is only for Slav.

“…I don't have any relationship with my neighbours. I have been living where I am presently for about five years and I don't even know the name of my next door neighbour. We just say hi…hi and go our different ways. Most times, neighbours don't really want to associate with foreigners.”

(Wigwe, aged 48 Russian group)

The respondent who gave the quote, however, said that he does not have any close relationship with his neighbours. He does not even know who his next neighbour is. He concluded that Russians don't really want to relate to a foreigner.

“Accommodation is one of the issues one would worry about when it comes to living in Russia. One reason for that is that you are never sure that you will live in an apartment for a very long time because tomorrow, the landlord could come and say sorry, I need to renovate or use this place, you have to look for somewhere else and if you don't have any money in your saving, it might be very difficult for you and that is why we see people hanging around trying to find a place live. Many have lost their homes just like that.”

(Buchi, aged 39 Russian group)

The quotation above reveals that there is a likelihood that a tenant could be made to vacate an apartment without prior notice which in a situation where the tenant does not have enough money to get another one, could make such a person not having a place of abode.

Migrants' Social Connections

It is a common trend among migrants to always build new ties whenever they find themselves in a new environment (Louise & Alessio, 2018). Using the three dimensions of social connections as explained by Ager and Strang (2008) which are the bonding social ties, social bridge and social links to explain the network that the migrants build and how this has influenced their integration process.

“The Nigerian community cannot help one in getting job or accommodation. The major thing in which the Nigerian community does is giving advice on how to go about being law-abiding citizens, visiting people who are in the prison, helping the embassy by ensuring that Nigerians are able to regularise their stay here in Russia”

(Seyi, aged 52 USSR group)

As indicated in the quotation above, the respondent emphatically said that the Nigerian Community Russia (NCR) which is an organization recognized to be a representative of the totality of Nigerian living in Russia, is chiefly, an advisory body. It helps to educate Nigerians living in Russia to be law abiding and be a good representative of their country. It also performs welfare roles in seeing to the plights of Nigerians in unpleasant situations and lastly the NCR also assist the Nigerian Embassy in Russia to ensure that Nigerians have a legal status to live in Russia. “the Nigerian Community, Russia tries to integrate Nigerians living in Russia together such as sport, conference, international discussion etc.”

(Ezekiel, aged 38 Russian group)

The quotation above is from the president of the NCR saying that the NCR helps to integrate Nigerians through sport and academic discuss such as conferences and international forum. He also confirmed that in most case that the NCR mainly performs advisory role and do not recommend Nigerians for job positions. The NCR can only refer or give suggestions on some job openings.

“The NCR has been doing little or nothing in helping Nigerians living in Russia. The desire is there to help but the possibility is either not there or very minimal.”

(Enoch, aged 54 USSR group)

The quotation above indicates that the NCR has not been very effective in the discharge of its responsibilities to the Nigerians living in Russia. Though the respondent also admitted that the NCR is willing to perform its duty effectively but the platform to discharge such responsibility to the fullness is limited.

“The OhanezeNdigbo has a more unified structure which helps to bring Nigerians and mostly the Igbo tribe.”

(Joseph, aged 57 Russian group)

The quotation above reveals that there is also the existence of an ethnic organization representing a particular section of Nigeria. According to the respondent, the OhanezeNdigbo which is an ethnic group organization is better unified than the NCR.

Workplace and Neighbourhood Relationship

There are similarities in the response of the respondents regarding their relationship with Russians at their place of employment and also where they live. The quotations below show some of the selected quotes during the field work. Majority of the respondents stated that they enjoy a stable relationship with their Russian colleagues at their different places of employment. The quotations below explain some of the experiences they had with Russians.

“My experience was very peculiar because we ended up not the way I would have wanted because I was duped by the same Russians whom I trusted and brought in to run the business along with and again, maybe they felt that I am a foreigner and the country is theirs. There were a lot of things that they did to me because they felt it was their country. When I tried to question one of them, he said that you came to my country and you still want to ask for your right.”

(Enoch, aged 54 USSR group)

The abovequotation states that the respondent had an unpleasant experience with the Russian he worked with initially. He stated that the disintegration of the Soviet Union made the economy open for economic activities and he was able to understand the situation by engaging in the importation of goods into the Russian Federation. He felt that both the Russians and foreigners need each other because foreigners needed Russians to process and guarantee their confirmation of performing economic activities while Russians needed the Russians for their experience. For the Russians that he partnered to start a business, he did not have a pleasant experience working with them because they cheated him. He, however, stated that he has learned from such experience and believes that it won't happen to him. He still partners with Russians and good working relationship with his Russian colleagues.

“Russians are a kind of people who are race conscious. At first, when you meet the people if you don't speak their language, they will look as if they are not friendly but if you are able to communicate with them, you will know that they are wonderful people.”

“Neighbourhood setting here is not like how we have it in Nigeria. The only thing is that when we see each other, we only say hello…hello and that is all. No communication at all.”

(Seyi, aged 52 USSR group)

For the respondent who gave the two quotations above, he expressed that knowing and understanding the Russians would reveal who they really are. To him, the Russians are race conscious in that they relate more to their own people and they fight for their own interest first before considering others. Also, getting to understand their language and could communicate with them, then as a foreigner, you will know how good they are. He also emphasized that he has also been in contact with those who are unfriendly to foreigners. But in the place of residence, he does not have any cordial relationship with his neighbours.

“…in the midst of any nation, there are good heads and bad heads. I have been lucky dealing with Russians but maybe in one way, it can be said that it has to do with your relationship with the people. Though along the way, I also got entangled with people that are of square characters but that does not eliminate the good ones that I have met”

(Tonye, aged 54 USSR group)

The above quotation indicates that for the respondent, the same rule applies to every country because you find the good and the bad. He, however, stated that he has been lucky dealing with Russians at the workplace and also where he lives though has also come in contact with Russians who have had a negative influence on him but that did not erode the fact that he had also met the good ones.

“They are very accommodating and the working relationship with them is very cordial.”

(Wigwe, aged 48 Russian group)

The quotation above shows that the relationship the respondent has with Russians at the place of residence and also the workplace. To him, as earlier identified, his relationshipswith Russians are not the same because he has a good working relationship with his Russian colleagues at the place but it differs from the kind of relationship he has with is Russian neighboursin the house where he lives which is not complimentary.

“They are unique in their own way. A lot of people feel that they are very aggressive or rude; once you get to understand them, you'll get to realize that they are just being original compared to the West where everybody puts on smiling faces everywhere. The belief here is that you should be sincere even with your emotions. Once they get to know you, it won't take them time to start exchanging kind gestures. In simple word, they are good people.”

(Micah, aged 27 Russian group)

The quotation above indicates that for the respondent, the Russiansare always very practical with their emotions. According to the respondent, Russians don't mince words when it comes to expressing how they feel.

“…all of them are not the same. The accommodating ones are the people who are well exposed in the sense that they have travelled to different countries. When you get to meet some Russians like that, they understand you and would try to speak with you and can also do business with you. Those who do not have such advantage or don't like travelling; I tell you that for those ones, you get the other side of them. They discriminate and their look shows they are racist. You come to them to ask some questions (directions) but the way they look at you is discriminatory and they won't even answer you. Sometimes, you living in Russia could favour you and sometimes, you get the other side of it”

(Ken, aged 33 Russian group)

The above quotation indicates that for the respondent, his perspective about the Russians is that they are of two different groups. For the first group which he said are the ones who have travelled outside the shores the Russian Federation have a better understanding of how to relate to people of a different race but for those who have not had such experience, they tend to discriminate against people of different colour.

Chapter Four: Discussion

This study has examined the experience of labour migrants from Nigeria and how socio-economically integrated they are in while looking for an improved life in Russia. As mentioned earlier, the respondents are divided into two different groups, the result of the study is analysed based on the experiences of the respondents in each of the groups using the framework proposed by Ager and Strang to explain the pattern of socio-economic integration as described in fig. 4 of Nigerian labour migrants in Russia. In analysing the result of the research, indicators such as education, knowledge of the Russian language, employment, accommodation and social network of the respondents are reviewed to answer the research questions.

Education as a means of integration

As Ager and Strange noted, education of the migrants is a tool that allows them to become active members of their host country (Ager & Strang, 2008). As stated earlier, all the respondents in the USSR group came for the purpose of education while the respondents in the Russian group had three reasons for coming (education, employment,and family reunification). Of all the six respondents who arrived during the Soviet Union and had all their levels of education here, the least had the masters' degree. Four of the respondents already had a Ph.D. while two have the masters' certificate. For the Russian group, two out of the respondents who came for the purpose of education has at least the first degree with six persons already having a masters' certificate while five already had their Ph.D. One of the respondents who came to reunite with her husband had her education in Russia while the other woman had hers in Nigeria and those who came for work purpose had their education in Nigeria having achieved a higher education in Nigeria.

The respondents who came initially to study in both groups are well integrated than those who came achieve theirs in Nigeria. They have a better understanding of the history and culture of their host country. As the study reveals, aside from being thought to understand the new community they are, they were made to live together with students from countries different to theirs which is a means of making them understand the need to acknowledge the relevance of accommodating people of different culture. Such practice helps to give the students a wider understanding of the cultures and learning to make new friends. The perception of the host country determines the process of integration. Competency in the language of the host society is a factor that influencesthe opinions of migrants about the host society which thereby ease the process of integration as most of the respondents all have a unique perception of the Russians.

Language Proficiency

Language is an important factor of integration. Language is an act of communication and interactions among different people who understand one another. In order to relate to another person, the language of communication must be understood by the other person. Competence of the native language of the host community is, therefore, a very important factor that determines migrants' integration. Language competence is, however, a two-way process of understanding integration both for the host community and migrants (Ager & Strang, 2008). Language is an interaction between individuals who understand each other, for the migrants to relate to the host society, they must understand themselves and vice versa. In order to stimulate the integration process of migrants in their new environment, they learn the language of the natives (Diaz, 1993). The means of acquiring the knowledge of the Russian language among all the respondents differ.

For the respondents who arrived for the initial purpose of education but stayed back in Russia after the completion of their education, they were all taught the Russian language in their first year of arrival before they began to study for their intended programmes. 13 of the respondents who came for the purpose of study all studied their various programmes in the Russian language which made it imperative for them to through the one-year intensive language programme called “ÏîäãîòîâèòåëüíûéÔàêóëüòåò” during which they were taught the history and culture of their new environment. For these migrants, they have a better understanding of the people and how to relate to them both within and outside the university walls. Like one of the respondents stated, “At first, when you meet the people if you don't speak their language, they will look as if they are not friendly but if you are able to communicate with them, you will know that they are wonderful people.”All the respondents who came for the purpose of education all have a very good proficiency in the Russian language both in communication and writing. They have also managed to build networks of friends who are Russians which is also an indication of their good knowledge of the Russian language.