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Social Vulnerability of International Migrants in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic (The Results of a Study in Saint Petersburg)

The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact not only on the economies of countries but also on global migration processes. The article contains the results of a study conducted in Saint Petersburg in 2020-2021. In the introduction, economic and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for international migrants are demonstrated, and the research task related to the analysis of the main predictors of migrant vulnerability in current conditions is identified. The next part of the article contains the academic literature review on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migration. As a theoretical framework for the study, a typology of migrant vulnerability is proposed, which assumes individual, structural and situational forms of vulnerability. The main methods of research, in addition to analyzing statistics, published research data, and legal documents, include expert interviews and in-depth interviews with migrants. The results of the study are presented in the following thematic blocks. (1) The legal status of international migrants. The lack of an official legal status of a migrant is a key predictor of vulnerability to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Access of international migrants to health services. Many migrants do not receive medical care during the pandemic, which negatively affects not only the health of migrants, but also the epidemiological situation in general. (3) Professional risks of international migrants. Significant difficulties in the labor market are associated with informal relations with employers. In addition, the pandemic mainly affected employment in the service sectors, where migrants are mostly represented. (4) The housing conditions of migrants. The housing conditions of migrants are characterized by a higher population density, which makes it difficult to ensure social distancing;thereby migrants are more vulnerable to the COVID-19 infection and at the same time pose an epidemic threat to others. (5) The public attitudes towards international migrants. Respondents among migrants claim that during the pandemic they faced an increase in xenophobia. (6) The education of migrants' children. Many children often do not have technical opportunities for online education;in addition, the low level of education and poor Russian language skills of their parents make home education difficult since online classes require the support of adult family members. (7) Social support for international migrants. Social support for migrants is fragmented;there is no systematic approach to reducing the social vulnerability of the migration community during the pandemic. The conclusion contains key findings and recommendations based on the study results. It is emphasized that the social vulnerability of migrants affects not only the social situation of migrants themselves but also the host society, which is especially important to take into account in the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.