As Russia’s economy changes, many locals are coming to terms with the need for thousands of unskilled, foreign workers. Business owners say foreign workers often work long hours and for little money.
Robert Latipov, the Director General of a factory in the Nizhny Novgorod region, is a big fan of foreign workers. “Their working day is 10 hours long and they work 7 days a week. We pay them a little bit less than the Russians. And the Chinese are highly disciplined, very efficient. They would do whatever you tell them to,” he said. While the wages may be lower in Russia, the Chinese are still earning more than they would in their homeland. Nowadays many locals from small Russian towns are leaving for the big cities full of hopes for greater opportunities. The idea of working in a local factory is hardly appealing. The young generation considers non-manual jobs as a priority. When locals leave for a better life, factory authorities invite labour force from abroad.