The article analyzes the migration of peasants from the European part of Russia to the Urals, and the state policy in this respect. With reference to the documents from central and regional archives, the author demonstrates that the aforementioned migration was mainly official which resulted in the concentration of most migrants in Verkhoturye and Orel Uyezds (Verkhoturye and Murashi areas of immigration). It is revealed that a considerable part of the peasants were transitional migrants unsatisfied with the poor location inhibiting their agricultural activity in the new places of living (Northern Uyezds) along with the inadequate work of the state structures responsible for the migration process.