According to Davlat Khudonazarov, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Arts and Sciences and former Galina Starovoitova Fellow on Human Rights and Conflict Resolution at the Kennan Institute, anywhere from 600,000 to 1.5 million Tajik migrants currently live and work in Russia. At a recent Kennan Institute lecture, he discussed how a lack of standard legal migration processes has led to systematic and widespread violations of the human rights of Tajiks currently working in Russia.

When Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, according to Khudonazarov, not many Tajiks lived beyond the borders of Tajikistan. Isolated throughout history by high mountains, Tajiks possess a very specific culture and a certain attachment to their native land. It was thus in part due to the enormous social and economic pressure caused by the breakup of the Soviet Union that they began migrating to Russia for work. The Tajik Civil War (1992-97), which destroyed the country's infrastructure and caused a decrease in the number of available jobs, also played a role in the exodus.

Many of the first migrants to leave Tajikistan were war refugees who eventually turned into laborers in order to support themselves and to send money back to their families in Tajikistan, Khudonazarov explained. Russia presented (and continues to represent) a natural destination for Tajiks for a number of reasons: no visas are required for Tajiks entering Russia, Russia is within close proximity of Tajikistan, most Tajiks presume a sort of familiarity with Russian language and culture, and Russia possesses a burgeoning labor market in need of workers.

Khudonazarov described how Tajik migration patterns form based on kinship. He further explained that the increase in Tajik migration has been accompanied by various processes of exploitation. Various companies take advantage of workers trying to migrate to Russia by charging exorbitant prices. For example, Khudonazarov cited how the only airline that flies between Dushanbe and Moscow often charges up to 20,000 rubles—the equivalent of a round-trip ticket between Moscow and New York—for a one way flight. In addition, migrants are also often forced to pay bribes to customs officials and police in order to exit Tajikistan. Khudonazarov argued that this migrant industry functioned like a "pipeline for people," producing a sort of slave-trade mentality for all those involved.

Khudonazarov explained how the exploitation continues once migrants reach Russia. In January 2007, Russian migration laws were relaxed, making its migration policy one of the most liberal in the world. To obtain legal status, migrants need only register at the local Russian post office where they live. This, however, has not yet significantly impacted the day to day lives of many migrants. Extortion is still practiced on a large scale by employers and police, both of whom benefit monetarily from the illegal status of migrant workers. Police often demand bribes, threatening to confiscate or destroy identification documents or even to deport migrant workers. Employers often refuse to pay already lowly-compensated migrant workers after services have been rendered.

Tajik migrant workers may become fully legalized Russian citizens, yet most Tajiks do not pursue this option. According to Khudonazarov, many Tajiks are disillusioned with the bureaucratic process; government officials are often arbitrary and the paperwork is confusing and difficult. A sense of loyalty to the mother country also serves as deterrence for Tajik migrants seeking full Russian citizenship.

Khudonazarov projected that Tajik migration to Russia would persist for another 20 to 30 years. As a result, Khudonazarov recommended a number of improvements. From an economic perspective, the government of Tajikistan needs to build an infrastructure in which funds sent back to Tajikistan from Russia could be utilized to boost the Tajik economy. Additionally, from a humanitarian perspective, Khudonazarov sees a need for further reforms from the Russian government to make the migrant experience more civilized and tolerable.