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Russian regional governments have shown remarkable variation in prohibiting immigrants from working in specific economic sectors. Why do regions enact immigration bans in some sectors but not in others? Few studies have explored the politics of immigration in authoritarian regimes, and recent sectoral bans in Russia have received scant attention. Based on an analysis of a novel data set on sectoral bans in 83 Russian regions and a case study of Novosibirsk Oblast, this article shows that regional governments tend to enact immigration bans in sectors that do not rely on a foreign workforce. I argue that autocrats impose immigration restrictions as mere grandstanding to appeal to public anti-immigrant sentiment. My findings challenge the existing literature's emphasis on the roles of economic factors, such as economic growth and natural resources, in immigration restrictions, as well as the argument that Russia imposes excessive immigration restrictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the effectiveness of public administration at the regional level by considering the strategic planning policies of Novosibirsk Oblast as they relate to foreign economic activity. An assessment is given of the macroeconomic indicators, the quality of the external economic infrastructure, and the effectiveness of government regulation at the national level. Using a contingency approach, the article provides a comparative retrospective analysis of the doctrinal documents of Novosibirsk Oblast and statistical data as they relate to foreign economic activity. This analysis shows that Novosibirsk Oblast has low effectiveness of public administration as it relates to foreign economic activity. The most problematic elements of the oblast's strategic policy are identified. It is evident that the current strategic planning for the development of the region does not reflect current realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]