Migrants in the Moscow Region can no longer sell shawarma

In the Moscow region, restrictions on the employment of foreign citizens under patents in certain sectors will come into effect on January 1, 2025.

The government of the Moscow region intends to prohibit migrants from working in the areas of alcohol and tobacco trade, street food, social services, as well as in sports, culture, leisure, healthcare, and education starting January 1, 2025.

The Governor of the Moscow region, Andrei Vorobyov, discussed this issue with the heads of regional ministries and municipalities.

The Deputy Chair of the regional government, Natalia Maslenkina, expressed readiness to join the 22 regions that have imposed a complete ban on patent work in certain sectors. According to her, there is currently a “quota” in the Moscow region allowing the employment of foreigners with patents in the aforementioned sectors – no more than 15% of the total number of workers.

“Over the past three years, we have seen a significant increase in complaints in trade related to foreign labor,” Maslenkina stated.

That is why the regional authorities now intend to completely prohibit migrants under patents from working in these sectors, she concluded.

Earlier, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin announced the preparation of legislative initiatives aimed at regulating migration policy issues in Russia, including a ban on migrants bringing their families.

In recent months, there have been increasing reports of intensified pressure from Russian law enforcement agencies on Tajik migrants. Tajik citizens complain that upon entering Russia, they are subjected to unprecedentedly harsh checks and interrogations. For several months now, entry into Russia has been complicated for Tajik migrants. Videos published on social media show that Russian border guards are strictly checking citizens of Tajikistan at both land borders and airports. Recently, hundreds of Tajiks have been denied entry and sent back to their homeland.