A high standard of living, decent wages, social security and a large territory with diverse climatic conditions - this is what makes our compatriots think that after moving to the United States, life will certainly improve. How Russians live in the United States depends on how they migrate, the city and their willingness to change their worldview. Whether moving to America becomes the American Dream or a complete disappointment depends on many factors.
Waves of emigration
In all eras, the emigration of the Russian-speaking population to the United States was conditioned by the flight from repression and oppression (religious, political, racial) from the Russian Empire, and later the Soviet Union. There are 5 waves of Russian immigration in history:
- The first emigrants appeared on American soil in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was at this time that representatives of the Russian nation founded the first settlements on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
- The Russian diaspora in America during the second wave was represented by Jews who moved from the Russian Empire and White Guard migrants. This happened in the late 19th - early 20th centuries.
- The third wave was not numerous and consisted mainly of political emigrants who left the USSR in the interval from the end of World War II to the end of the 70s of the last century.
- During the fourth wave, the largest number of people left the Union. The impetus for this was the fall of the "Iron Curtain" - the end of the 80s - the beginning of the 90s of the XX century. The first to go overseas were the Jews who fled from the oppression of the Soviet regime, everyone who had the opportunity and the desire to leave followed them in search of a better life.
- The fifth wave includes migrants of the early 2000s, who moved to the States for political and economic reasons.
The last wave of Russian emigration continues today. It consists of those who travel for the purpose of doing business, buying real estate, training.
Russian-speaking population in the USA
The Russian diaspora in the United States is usually called Russian Americans who have undergone the process of naturalization, but were born outside this state. Moreover, this concept does not always indicate the ethnicity of migrants. "Russians" here are people from all former Soviet republics and their descendants.
How many Russians are in the United States today, it is impossible to say unequivocally, since not all of them took part in the last population census in 2021. You should also not discount illegal immigrants who are not listed at all on the lists of migrants.
According to the latest count, the number of Russian Americans at the beginning of 2021 was about 5 million. Of these, more than 400,000 were born outside the United States.
In terms of migration from the CIS countries, the size of the Russian-speaking population looks like this:
- Russians - 2.6 million;
- Ukrainians - about 900 thousand;
- Belarusians - almost 26 thousand migrants;
- representatives of other nationalities - 1.1 million people.
The country's authorities believe that the total number of the Russian-speaking population may be about 4.5-5 million. The problem of illegal migration remains relevant in the country. According to the United States Census Bureau (Bureau of Statistics), the United States has the third largest population in the world - almost 328.5 million people.
Of this number, approximately 12-15 million have crossed the border illegally, are not registered at the embassy and are staying in the United States without legal grounds (we are talking about migrants from different countries, not only Russian settlers).
How Russians are treated in the USA
The way Americans treat Russians is not very different from how people of other nationalities are treated. Our compatriots are considered stern and unsmiling here. When migrants become more relaxed and enjoy life, their American neighbors believe that they are "pulled" into the local rhythm.
On the other hand, American citizens are more willing to marry Russian girls than citizens of other countries. According to Americans, Russians look better, cook tastier, and know how to raise children.
Whether it is good for Russians to live in America is also determined by how well they manage to find a job. One of the most popular ways to immigrate is to work for an American company.
So: when hiring, local employers from all migrants will give preference to Russians. The situation is the same with renting housing - our compatriots always have an advantage over other migrants.
How does the adaptation of Russians in America go and what determines
There are many reasons that make Russians leave for America:
- job invitation;
- marriage;
- obtaining a Green Card;
- training at an American university;
- an invitation from a religious community;
- refugee.
Each of these grounds leads to legalization in the United States and obtaining resident status.
How Russians live in America depends on how quickly they manage to settle down and adapt. This is influenced by many factors:
- knowledge of the language - American English and British English are slightly different;
- a diploma obtained at home may not be valid. Most specialists will have to complete their studies or master a new profession;
- in America, it is customary to follow instructions. This applies to both driving on the roads and interaction with officials;
- poor migrants can take advantage of one of the social support programs - tax refunds (Earned Income Tax Credit program), food stamps, medical assistance (Medicaid);
- Americans are a nation of patriots. People here are very fond of decorating buildings with American symbols, and the residents themselves are always ready to take part in various events and defend their rights.
Many, choosing where to move to the United States from Russia, stop at the Russian regions, believing that this will make the adaptation process faster. But this approach has more disadvantages than advantages. The more the situation is closer to American reality, the faster and easier it will be for a migrant to accept life in a new country.
Russian communities
The Russian diaspora in America is rather unevenly distributed. The largest concentration of Russians is found in the states of New York, California and Florida. So, for example, about 600 thousand people live in New York, there are another 1.5 million in the entire state.
Nearly 600,000 Russians have chosen Southern California as their new home. Most of them live in Los Angeles.
Russian communities in the United States are actively involved in popularizing Russian culture and helping migrants arriving in the United States.
The leading organization uniting the first three waves of emigration is the Congress of Russian Americans, which has chapters in 30 cities across the country. The publication “Russian American”, published on his initiative, allows to monitor the work of the Congress.
Another organization is the L.N. Tolstoy. It has 6 branches at its disposal in different regions. The Foundation provides social and cultural assistance to newcomers.
The educational mission is entrusted to the Association of Russian Orthodox Clubs. The leading periodical is Novoe Russkoe Slovo.
The migrants of the last wave are distinguished by some disunity. This is due to the desire to integrate into the American environment as quickly as possible, which can only be achieved by detachment from everything “Russian”.
Getting an education
The main advantage that foreign students of American universities receive is the opportunity to stay in the country after receiving a diploma, if they can find a job. This will provide a basis for further legalization.
The advantages include the quality of the knowledge provided, a wide field of activity for those who intend to engage in scientific work, a large selection of specialties and the loyalty of local universities and colleges to foreign students.
Education in the United States is not free, even for citizens of the state. But you can try to get one of the types of help:
- scholarships and grants - most often the budget for them is allocated by the university itself or by the state authorities;
- sponsorship - any company that is interested in an employee of a particular specialty can act as a sponsor.
- become a member of the student exchange program.
The universities that provide the greatest assistance to their students in the United States include:
- Trinity College (Connecticut);
- Stanford University (California);
- Harvard University (Massachusetts);
- Duke University (North Carolina).
If you cannot get financial support, you need to be prepared for a price range from 10 thousand dollars per year (University of Arizona) to 44 thousand dollars per year (Stanford University). This cost does not include living expenses, meals, insurance and other expenses. For everything about everything, you will have to provide another 20-30 thousand dollars for one academic year (depending on the university and the state).
Employment
The first thing that Russian migrants need to be prepared for is to confirm the diploma received at home, since it may be invalid in the United States due to the difference in curricula. Some professionals will have to undergo additional training in order to be able to work in the profession.
For the first time, many try to get a job “with their own people” or do any work that generates income. Without knowledge of English, the choice of vacancies will be small: cleaner, dishwasher, courier, farm worker.
Work in the USA for Russians who have a demanded specialty, will be able to confirm a diploma and work experience, is possible in any direction. Average salaries are distributed as follows (per year):
- software developers - 76-126 thousand dollars;
- doctors - 170-200 thousand;
- teachers and nannies - 18-30 thousand;
In the process of searching for bots, you need to become a regular visitor on various forums and in groups on social networks in order to track reviews, valuable tips and suggestions, interesting facts about American life.
Standard of living
Life for Russians in the United States consists of many components that make it possible to assess how difficult or simple it is to move to the United States. The national average wage is $ 42,000 per year after all taxes. At the same time, the difference between the incomes of the wealthy class and the poor can be called striking. The first receive about 8 times more than those who are less fortunate to get a job in life.
House prices in the States are very high. Most migrants (and even Americans) cannot afford their own real estate and live their whole lives in rented apartments and houses. Immigrants prefer to live in several people in an apartment or rent duplexes.
Average prices for renting a one-bedroom apartment by city, in dollars:
- Washington - 1 800-3 100;
- New York - 1,500-3,000;
- Miami - 1,750-2,000;
- Dallas - 1,070-1,500;
- Kansas City - 660-890;
- Detroit - 560-790.
It is imperative to add the maintenance costs to the rental amount. They can range from $ 500 to $ 1,500 per month.
Food costs should be budgeted at $ 300 per week. Another 150-200 dollars will be needed for transport (this is how much a monthly pass costs).
Additionally, you need to set aside for leisure and buying clothes - that's another $ 500-800 per month. With a low salary, 2/3 of the income will be spent only on solving the housing problem.
How retirees live in the USA
The retirement age depends on the year of birth. Those born in 1960 and later retire at 67. Those who wish can do this at the age of 62, but for this they need to write an application to the Pension Fund and substantiate the reason for such a step, because the “early adopters” receive only 70% of their allowance. At the same time, upon reaching the age of 67, the amount of the payment does not increase.
To receive a pension, you must have at least 10 years of experience. State, as well as funded, pensions are formed from the employee's monthly payments to the Pension Fund and health insurance: 7.65% is withheld from salaries, another 7.65% is covered by the employer.
The average pension is approximately $ 1,200. If the benefit falls short of the established minimum (about $ 1,000), the pensioner can count on material and other types of assistance from the state.
Russian retirees in America are subject to the same rules as Americans. Some of them live off the income they receive at home.
In which states does Russians live best?
As a target city, migrants from the CIS most often choose megacities. Greater job opportunities are usually the reason.
Some move to big cities because there are many Russians in them, on whose support they count. Most often, you can hear Russian speech in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Seattle, Denver.
Russian community in New York
If you are looking for which city in the United States has the most Russians, then know that the largest Russian community lives in New York.
In the state capital, most Russian migrants are concentrated on Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. This quarter is popularly called Little Odessa, because life here is not too different from that which our compatriots led at home, and the first settlers here were Jews who left the USSR at the end of the last century.
But this is not the only area that Russians have chosen in New York. You can often meet "friends" in Manhattan. Most often these are wealthy migrants, since the cost of living here is an order of magnitude higher than in other parts of the city.
But representatives of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan prefer to settle in Queens.
Wealthy families are moving to Staten Island who have already lived in the States for some time, have felt the ground under their feet and now want to take root.
Russian life in Washington state
Seattle is another popular destination for Russian migrants. This city is home to large corporations such as Boeing, Starbucks and Amazon.
Seattle is well suited for those who are involved in the field of IT, medicine, technical or engineering education.
There are few African Americans in Seattle, the majority of residents are wealthy citizens who are satisfied with life in a city surrounded on three sides by water.
And although the cost of housing here is inferior to San Francisco and New York, it is not much different from what is asked in Los Angeles. The average home in Seattle will cost about $ 580-600 thousand.
In general, migrants need to be prepared for cloudy and rainy weather, which is typical for the state of Washington in general.
Russian community in California
Life in California for Russians is mainly concentrated in two cities: Los Angeles and San Francisco. Although you can hear Russian speech in San Diego and Santa Barbara.
The San Francisco community numbers about 70 thousand people. It can be divided into two groups. The first is the descendants of the Russians who arrived here in the 19th-20th centuries. The second group includes migrants of the last wave.
In Los Angeles, they mainly reside on Giary Boulevard, which is very reminiscent of Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, New York. Another Russian settlement is located south of the city - in the Silicon Valley. Well-educated wealthy migrants who are related to the IT sphere settled here.
In Los Angeles, the number of Russians reaches 600 thousand, another 70 thousand are stationed in the San Diego area.One of the largest Armenian communities in the world lives and works in the City of Angels. Settlers are attracted here by the warm climate, high wages, and the proximity of the ocean.
State of texas
The composition of the Russian community in Texas is due to the presence of oil companies in the region, whose subsidiaries are represented in Russia, as well as Russian-American cooperation in the space sector.
The main place of Russian settlement in Texas is the city of Houston. The Russian theater works here, the newspaper "Our Texas" is printed.
Of the 50 thousand Russian-speaking population, about 30 thousand live in Houston. Most of them chose the Gallery area (the western part of the city) as their place of residence.
The cost of living here is lower than in the cities listed above. You can rent an apartment in the center of Houston for $ 1,000, on the outskirts there is an opportunity to find it for $ 700.
In terms of employment, the city attracts workers in the oil refining, metallurgical, energy industries, as well as those who have the profession of a mechanic or are ready to work in the port.
Florida life
Lovers of the ocean and sunny weather often choose Florida as the final destination of emigration. In Miami, for example, you can walk down the street where the houses belong to Russian pop stars and athletes.
Most of the Russians live in the suburbs of Miami - in the area called "Sunny Islands". Life in Florida for Russians is also concentrated in St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Bradenton, Tampa.
The easiest way to find work in this part of the country is in tourism. But it is better to get a license, for example, a driver or a nurse, and work for yourself.
The disadvantages include a hot and humid climate, and the advantages are not such high housing prices as in New York and Los Angeles.
Russian community in Alaska
Alaska is an unpredictable and harsh land. In many ways, this region is very similar to Kamchatka and Siberia. The first thing that catches your eye here is good roads and well-groomed areas. In rural areas, however, there may be no roads (instead of them an ordinary dirt road), and an SUV will be the best transport.
Although this state is usually called Russian America, Russians in Alaska are represented in smaller numbers than in other regions: about 10 thousand people.
The southeastern part of the state lives primarily on tourism. Moreover, 10% of those who come here are Russians.
This is an ideal place for those who are tired of the hustle and bustle of the city and want to plunge into nature. There is no congestion of cars and houses here, and people are in no hurry, open and friendly.
Outcomes
Is it worth moving to the United States from Russia? A comparative table of advantages and disadvantages will allow you to evaluate:
| pros | Minuses |
|---|---|
| high level of medicine; | very high housing prices in metropolitan areas; |
| social assistance from the state to low-income strata of the population, which migrants can also count on; | the need to confirm a diploma for those who want to work in their specialty; |
| low prices for food and clothing; | expensive education; |
| great prospects for narrow-profile specialists, for example, for doctors, programmers, oil refining and energy workers; | many cities have to put up with smog, noise and poor environmental conditions. |
| loyal attitude of Americans towards migrants, especially towards Russians; | a large number of homeless people; |
| high quality education; | it is imperative to buy a car, since public transport is well developed only in large cities. |
| high level of remuneration; | in many states, the weather is changeable and unstable, proximity to the oceans creates conditions of high humidity, there is a threat of hurricanes and tsunamis; |
| equal chances to get a job in life for both migrants and local residents. | in the absence of insurance, expensive medicine; |
Deciding to emigrate, many count on the support of compatriots in a foreign country. In America, it is possible to get help from the diaspora, although experienced migrants advise relying on your own strength and being ready to radically change your lifestyle.
