Global migration processes have modified the quantitative and qualitative indicators of economic growth and social and economic development scenarios of national economies. This study investigates the effectiveness of foreign labor in the Russian economy. The research is to determine the common trends and scope of migration processes, the contribution of legal and illegal migrants to GDP of Russia, federal, regional, and local revenue derived from taxes paid by legal migrants and losses from non-payment of taxes, the reasons for public losses because of institutional shortcomings in migration policy. As a result, the authors reveal the gaps in Russian migration policy that cause negative effects of foreign labor and dilute its effectiveness. The ways to address inefficiencies in this field are proposed.