OREANDA-NEWS. According to the Levada Center polls, over the past five years, a significant increase in the quantity of those who want to emigrate from the country has been registered in Russia. So, 21 % respondents in September 2019 (against 17 % in 2014) expressed a wish to go abroad for permanent residence.

The last survey was conducted during a period of September 26 – October 2, 2019 on a representative all-Russian sample of urban and rural population of 1601 people aged 18 years and older in 137 settlements of 50 regions of the Russian Federation.

The authors of the study note an increase in the proportion of young people who want to leave the country and the same increase among wealthy Russians. According to a survey, more than half of Russians aged 18 to 24 years old want to move abroad (53 % in September 2019 compared to 22 % in 2015). An increase is also observed among middle-aged Russians (30 % against 22 %). Moreover, respondents of all ages with higher education (26 %) more often declare their wish to leave the country.

The main reasons for the Russians to emigrate are the desire to provide children with a better future (45 %), the economic (40 %) and political situation (33 %) in Russia, as well as the high quality of medical services (35 %) and better career opportunities (28 %) abroad. It is noted that the willingness of Russians to move has not changed significantly: the total number of those who take real steps is about 7 %.

A similar Levada Center poll was conducted in February, 2019. 41 % of young Russians said they wanted to emigrate. The Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov called such a percentage “not very high.”