The Russian government has approved a measure that cuts the quota for residence permits for foreigners in 2025 by almost half even as the number of workers entering the country has fallen to a 10-year low, exacerbating an acute labor shortage.
The government said on October 16 that the new quota was set at 5,500 permits, compared with 10,600 in 2023. The quotas are distributed across the country based on the applications.
The move comes as public sentiment toward migrants grows increasingly negative, with some 80 percent of Russians surveyed expressing concerns about the high number of migrants, particularly from Central Asia and the Caucasus.
SEE ALSO: Central Asian Returnees Struggle To Find Work Amid Russia's Record-High DeportationsHundreds of thousands of labor migrants from those areas legally reside in Russia on working visas allowing them to stay and work in the country for a limited period, while residence permits allow stays in Russia for years.
But many Russians have turned against migrants from Central Asia after a terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall entertainment center near Moscow in March that claimed 140 lives.
Several Central Asian men, mostly from Tajikistan, were arrested on suspicion of taking part in the attack. Since then, law enforcement agencies have ramped up raids targeting migrant communities.
Earlier in the week, Tajikistan's human rights commissioner, Umed Bobozoda, voiced concerns over the mistreatment of Tajik migrants in Russia since the terrorist attack, accusing Russian law enforcement of using illegal methods, including physical abuse and unjustified detentions.
Some Central Asian migrant workers have been forced to join Russian armed forces involved in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
SEE ALSO: The West Cautiously Extends Migrant Worker Options For Central AsiaThe number of residence permits issued in Russia has been decreasing since 2021, when the quota was 39,000. According to the Interior Ministry, only 20 percent of the 2024 quota had been used by mid-year.
In Moscow, the quota for permits dropped from 1,500 to 1,000, while the Moscow region’s allocation went from 750 to 350. St. Petersburg’s allocation fell from 300 to 200 permits, while Tatarstan and Bashkortostan saw a dramatic reduction from 500 to 100 over the past two years.
The October 16 reduction came a day after the Russian parliament’s lower chamber, the State Duma, passed a law tightening the process for obtaining residence permits.
Foreigners married to Russian citizens will now have to wait three years after their marriage to apply, a significant change from the previous rule that allowed immediate application.