Russia tightens migrant worker rules, expands deportation list
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
Russia has tightened rules for migrant workers, expanding the list of offenses that lead to deportation. The new measures target violations such as working without a permit and overstaying visas.
New Deportation Grounds
Russia expanded the list of offenses that result in deportation for migrant workers. Violations now include working outside the permitted region and failure to pass medical exams. The changes affect hundreds of thousands of Central Asian migrants, including many from Kazakhstan.
Impact on Kazakh Migrants
Kazakhstan is one of the largest sources of labor migrants in Russia, with over 500,000 Kazakh citizens working there. The new rules could disrupt remittances, which totaled $1.2 billion in 2025. Kazakh officials have not yet issued an official response.
What's Next
Kazakh authorities are expected to discuss the measures with Russian counterparts in the coming weeks. It remains unclear whether Moscow will grant exemptions for Kazakh workers under the Eurasian Economic Union framework.
1 source
Russia tightens migrant worker rules, expands deportation list
