The contribution of migrants to the production of gross regional product in Moscow

This paper assesses the contribution of migrants to the gross regional product and budget of Moscow over the period 2017—2023. We consider the city’s production in the context of individual types of economic activity and distinguish several categories of migrants: international and internal, including circular, rotational, and permanent. Data on the number of migrants and their distribution by the type of economic activity was obtained from the Labor Force Survey (Rosstat), the Moscow Labor Force Balance, and the survey of international migrants conducted in Moscow in 2023. Our calculations are based on the assumption that the productivity of different groups of workers is proportional to their wages. According to the results, the total contribution of all categories of migrants amounts to 23—25% of the city’s production. The main role in the Moscow economy belongs to internal migrants: circular (providing 8—9% of production) and rotational (5—7%); however, the importance of international labor migrants (3—8% of production) has been increasing in recent years. Significant differences in the role of migrants are observed across industries.