The number of canceled work permits for foreigners in Russia tripled in 2024. Since the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia has canceled over 43,000 permits issued to foreign citizens for employment. The official representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Irina Volk, stated that the reason is that these […]
The number of canceled work permits for foreigners in Russia tripled in 2024.
Since the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia has canceled over 43,000 permits issued to foreign citizens for employment.
The official representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Irina Volk, stated that the reason is that these migrants did not timely notify about their employment activities.
The representative of the Ministry reminded that according to the legislation, foreign citizens are required to notify the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs that issued the permit about their employment activities within two months from the date of issuance.
The number of canceled work permits for citizens of Tajikistan is not reported.
Typically, foreign citizens who fail to report their employment activities in a timely manner lose their right to stay, and consequently, they must leave the country.
Since the spring of 2024, there have been increasing reports of intensified pressure from Russian law enforcement on Tajik migrants. Tajik citizens complain that upon entering Russia, they are subjected to unprecedentedly harsh checks and interrogations.
Special unwritten discriminatory rules apply to migrants from Central Asia. They are usually detained at the border for hours, undergoing interrogations and personal belongings checks.
Furthermore, authorities in several regions intend to prohibit migrants from working in the fields of alcohol and tobacco trade, street food, social services, as well as in sports, culture, leisure, healthcare, and education.
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.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, there are 6.2 million labor migrants living and working in Russia. Currently, over 630,000 foreign citizens are living illegally in Russia, which accounts for about 4.2% of the total population.
Despite all this, migrants most often move to Russia from Tajikistan. According to Rosstat data, Tajikistan was indicated as the country of origin by 31% of those who began living in Russia. Following are Kyrgyzstan (10%), Ukraine (9%), Armenia (9%), Kazakhstan (9%), and Uzbekistan (8%).