MINSK, 25 March (BelTA) – Last year Belarus paid Br11.6 billion to cover resettlement costs and provide post-arrival assistance to 1,600 foreigners, Alexei Begun, the head of the Citizenship and Migration Department at the Interior Ministry of Belarus, said when speaking at a meeting of the Labor and Social Security Ministry to discuss the results of Belarus' National Demographic Security Program for 2011-2015, BelTA has learned.
He informed that when implementing the national program mechanisms to support foreigners moving into Belarus for permanent residence were developed, and the measures for the integration of foreigners into the Belarusian society were implemented. The law on amendments to some laws of the Republic of Belarus on legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Republic of Belarus came into force on 12 July 2014. It identifies the categories of aliens who are entitled to compensation for resettlement cost and to post-arrival assistance. A resolution of the Council of Ministers established the size and order of payments.
“Thus, the task to regulate external migration processes, taking into account the national interests, was fulfilled,” Alexei Begun noted. The migration gain has increased which has had a positive impact on the population growth dynamics: with natural population losses over the past five years at 47,400 people, the total migration gain has made up 65,100 people during this period. Thus, the planned migration balance (60,000) has been reached,” he informed.
In 2015 about 4.4 million foreigners arrived in Belarus. More than 184,000 got registered with the territorial interior agencies as visiting on private matters and on business (130,000 in 2010). As of 1 January 2016 there were 59,100 foreign nationals holding a temporary residence permit (29,500 in 2010), and over 181,500 foreigners holding a permanent residence permit (142,600 in 2010).
