Russia Introduces Taxes for Immigrants
Russia is set to introduce new fees for migrants and increase existing charges, as part of a bill prepared by the Ministry of Finance. The changes, which are expected to come into effect on September 1, 2025, aim to cover the costs associated with the increase in migration flows and stricter control measures.
One of the key changes involves the introduction of fees for various migration services. Foreigners will now have to pay for registering their place of stay, extending temporary residency, issuing or renewing work permits, and obtaining duplicates of migration documents. The proposed fees include 4,200 rubles for work permit services, 2,100 rubles for duplicates, 1,000 rubles to extend temporary stays, and 500 rubles for registering at a place of residence.
Beginning September 2025, foreign workers in Russia will be required to pay for document processing, with the patent, which essentially replaces a work permit, now having a fee for its processing (4,200 rubles). This change primarily affects labor migrants from Central Asia working in construction, housing and utilities, and services.
The new fees will increase the costs for migrants for legal employment in Russia. However, a lawyer specializing in migration law has stated that the fee for the patent's processing is logical. Economist Dmitriy Desyatnichenko explains that introducing fees will make the system fairer, as free services for foreigners essentially mean that their cost is borne by Russian citizens.
In addition to these changes, a new law mandates geolocation tracking for migrants in Moscow and the Moscow region, requiring them to use a mobile application to report their location starting September 1, 2025. This regulation does not explicitly mention additional fees but is part of broader efforts to tighten migration controls.
It remains to be seen how these changes will affect the influx of foreign labor in Russia. For many labor migrants, the additional expenses may be significant, especially if employers do not cover these costs. As of now, there is no specific information provided about plans to increase driver-related costs in 2025.
These changes are part of a series of measures aimed at strengthening migration control and ensuring that the costs of providing state services are covered. The previous increase in fees for certain migration services, such as the issuance of individual work permits and residence permits, took place in 2024. However, these changes were implemented before 2025.
- The new policy-and-legislation, enacted by the Russian government, includes an increase in fees for various migration services and the introduction of geolocation tracking for migrants in Moscow.
- The changes in Russia's policy-and-legislation reveal a shift towards a fairer system, with foreigners being required to cover the costs associated with their employment through fees for services like work permit processing and location reporting.
