Russia Tightens Rules for Migrants: Who Stays, Who Goes?

The Russian government is sharply increasing the requirements for migrants arriving in the country. According to Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, citizens who do not officially work, do not study, have not been fingerprinted, and have not learned the Russian language must leave the country. The minister firmly emphasized this in an official video address.

According to Kolokoltsev, there should be no illegal migrants left on the streets and in the housing sector of Russia. Each migrant will be required to benefit society, find a job or receive education, as well as undergo fingerprinting (dactyloscopy) and confirm their level of knowledge of the Russian language. If these requirements are not met, foreigners will be deported from the country.

Russian authorities have begun a new stage in migration policy since the spring of 2024. At the beginning of this year, a special register was launched - the Ministry of Internal Affairs database. It will collect information about every foreigner who is illegally staying. It has also become mandatory for migrant children to take a Russian language test before being admitted to school. Special fines, penalties for violations, and bans on entry and residence have been tightened.

The largest number of migrants to Russia comes from the CIS countries, including Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. This year alone, hundreds of thousands of people from these countries have entered Russia. However, the tightening of laws is having a negative impact on their lives. Officials from these countries have repeatedly expressed their dissatisfaction with the violation of migrants' rights.

The Tajik government has officially protested the increase in cases of entry restrictions and expulsions of its citizens in Russia on unclear grounds. The Kyrgyz ambassador stressed that relations between the two countries should not be damaged after the raids in Moscow. Uzbekistan sent a note to the Russian Foreign Ministry in June of this year, requesting an explanation for the use of force against migrants in Moscow.

New migration rules are designed to make it harder to live and work illegally in Russia and encourage foreigners to work legally. Experts say the requirements could lead to new hardships, a shadow economy, and resentment.