Russia prepares a registry of foreign workers: what will change for migrants

The essence of the planned reform

Russia is preparing to introduce a system of organized recruitment of foreign workers, Kun.uz reports, citing Kommersant. Under the draft, foreigners would come to work for a specific employer who would specify in advance the required number of employees, their positions, and the terms of the placement. Instead of the current permit documents, electronic registries of employers and workers are planned to be used. The first stage of the experiment is expected from March 1, 2027, and the second after January 1, 2029. The publication emphasizes that this is currently a draft, so the final timelines and rules will depend on the law that is adopted.

Scope of the experiment and exemptions

The experiment is expected to cover all of Russia except Moscow and Moscow Region. Certain categories of foreigners, including citizens of Belarus and highly qualified specialists, are expected to be exempt from the new procedure. Citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, like citizens of other Eurasian Economic Union member states, can currently work in Russia without a patent or work permit. The draft itself does not abolish these rights, but the question of whether they will need to register in the new registry is to be settled by the final text of the law. One of the earlier versions of the amendments provided for exempting citizens of EAEU countries from the state fee for inclusion in the workers' registry.

Obligations of employers and workers

To take part in organized recruitment, an employer will have to register in the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs registry and submit an application through the ministry's subordinate Passport and Visa Service, indicating the number of workers, workplaces, and the terms of the placement. The employment contract is planned to be concluded for one year, and its terms, including the work schedule, must match the application; changes to wages and social guarantees are also provided for. Employers may be required to pay for workers' genomic registration and to reimburse the state for the costs of their deportation if necessary. If a company hires more than 15 foreigners, it must provide them with housing for the duration of the employment contract; for individuals, a limit of no more than five hired migrants is proposed. Foreign workers will have to register in the system, obtain an identification card valid for three years, and undergo a medical examination; while their documents are being processed, they are planned to be housed in so-called 'migrant hotels.' The three-year validity of the card does not mean the employment contract will also be concluded for three years.

What remains uncertain

Key parameters of the reform have not yet been fixed: the draft is at the discussion stage, and the final timelines, rules, and the procedure for participation of citizens of EAEU countries will be determined by the final version of the law. This means the conditions described are of a proposed nature, and any of them may change when the document is adopted.