IMMIGRATION OF COMPATRIOTS TO RUSSIA: POTENTIAL AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC EFFECTS.

While recent two decades have paid increased attention to return migration of Russian compatriots to Russia and to implementation of Russian governmental scheme of aiding voluntary return of compatriots living abroad to the Russian Federation. On the 1st of July 2012 more than 80000 compatriots have migrated to 36 regions of Russia from CIS, Baltic States, Israel, USA, Germany etc. with the help of governmental scheme and about 180000 are being on different stages of resettlement.
Compatriots are considered the most favourable migrants, because they know language, culture, traditions and they accommodate better than other migrants do. Now more than 25 million of Russian and Russian-speaking people live abroad. The part of this population forms the migratory potential, which Russia can receive for medium-term outlook
According to the governmental scheme the federal government provide compatriots with: citizenship, public assistance, payment for passage and baggage delivery, extraordinary grant. The local authorities must help compatriots with placing in a job.
The aim of this study is twofold. First, we want to estimate the volume, directions and potential of this migration flow. Second, with the use of statistical indexes we determine the effects of coming back on regional socio-demographic characteristics.