MOSCOW, January 9. /TASS/. The number of labour migrants in Russia declined by 70% year-on-year in the first nine days of January because of economic difficulties and the tightening of migration controls, the head of the Federal Migration Service told Rossiya 24 television on Friday.

“Migrants have seen a real punishment they may face for violating the standards of staying in our country,” Konstantin Romodanovsky said.

He said that Russia needed labour migrants, and mentioned possible ‘amnesty’ for migrant workers as a possible measure to make them stay.

“We have amnesty in mind, but have made no practical moves as of yet,” the FMS head said.

He also said more exact conclusions as to a decline in the number of migrant workers in Russia could be made in two or three months.