A new legislative proposal aims to introduce or increase several state fees for migrants in Russia. These fees would cover services such as registration at the place of stay, residency registration, extending temporary stay, vehicle registration actions, and the issuance of work permits (patents).
New fees are being prepared for both migrants and their employers. These charges will apply to a range of services, from processing a work permit to registering at a place of stay. The highest proposed fee is 4,200 rubles, which is nearly half the average cost of the permit itself.
Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma, highlighted the details of the government bill, which has been submitted to deputies for review via his Telegram channel. The bill introduces several new fee categories. The fee for issuing, reissuing, or extending a work permit will be 4,200 rubles. For issuing a duplicate permit or making changes, the fee will be 2,100 rubles.
Additional proposed state fees or increases for migrants include those for registration at place of stay, residency registration, extending temporary residence in Russia, and actions related to vehicle registration.
The average cost of a work permit for a labor migrant in Russia ranges from 8,000 to 10,000 rubles. Yaroslav Nilov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy, and Veterans Affairs, believes the 4,200 ruble fee is reasonable:
Yaroslav Nilov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy, and Veterans Affairs
«On one hand, it`s about replenishing budget revenues, and on the other, it`s an additional measure of regulation, control, and responsibility. Therefore, I believe action in this direction was long overdue. I also think the cost of permits should be raised and they should be issued specifically, not universally. While regions currently have the ability to issue permits for specific professions, such as a welder`s permit for welding work, permits are often universal, allowing migrants to work as guards, welders, builders, or gardeners. A permit can be obtained for one year. Accordingly, a four-thousand-ruble fee for a document issued for a year is, in my opinion, normal.»
Fees are planned for both visitors themselves and their employers, depending on the country of origin. Vyacheslav Volodin explained that «those arriving from visa-free countries receive a permit, which is valid for a maximum of one year. After that, the permit application process must be repeated.» Migrants from countries requiring visas arrange their work permits themselves. Dmitry Minin, CEO of Atlant design and construction company, is confident the new fee will not deter labor migrants, especially since employers will often cover the cost. He remains willing to hire migrants:
Dmitry Minin, CEO of Atlant design and construction company
«It`s important that the employer is protected. There should be some amendment or addition that protects the employer from an employee leaving. Roughly speaking, by paying for them, you are purchasing their time for a certain period. Based on my experience, employers are currently not protected. Investing money in someone means we risk losing that money. And when you hire 100 people, 100 people multiplied by 4 [thousand] is already a significant sum. We are dependent on them anyway, because the volume of construction planned and underway cannot be completed by our own workforce. And those migrants we had previously, under schemes that were, as you said, not entirely `white`, have left.»
The cost of a work permit is not a payment made directly to the budget by the worker; it is an advance income tax payment. Elena Balashova, Managing Partner at BLC and an expert in labor and migration law, explains that the government intends to use these fees, in part, to recover revenue lost through «gray» schemes related to permit processing:
Elena Balashova, Managing Partner at BLC, expert in labor and migration law
«Currently, the process of obtaining permits was largely left, so to speak, in the hands of the foreign workers from visa-free countries themselves, and there was no additional control over their subsequent movements within the country or their employment. While there was an obligation for the employee to notify about their employment, overall, control ended there. The introduction of these fees will encourage workers to make a more conscious decision, as it represents an additional financial burden. Not everyone will rush to get a permit, knowing they`ll have to pay nearly half the permit cost additionally as a fee. Furthermore, this payment will likely be shifted onto the shoulders of the future employer. And thirdly, this is something that is generally accepted worldwide: any state service, so to speak, is always subject to additional payment.»
Introducing these fees «will not only increase budget revenue but also strengthen control over migrants and help establish their actual places of stay. This, in turn, will contribute to reducing the level of illegal migration,» stated the State Duma Chairman. According to Vyacheslav Volodin, the State Duma will begin considering the bill on migrant fees this week.
