Kyrgyz workers steering clear of Russia: What's going on?

The appeal of more distant job markets is increasing. And in an encouraging trend, remittances are now less important to Kyrgyzstan's economy than they used to be.

For people in Kyrgyzstan in search of a job, Russia has long been an obvious option.

And this moment looks especially propitious.

Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Moscow-dominated Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) trading bloc, a status that grants Kyrgyz nationals privileged access to the Russian labour market.

Peers from neighbouring Tajikistan and Uzbekistan,…