On June 30, 2026, Andrei Sprinchan, CEO of Confidence Group, took part in a meeting of the migration committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham Russia). The event was dedicated to current issues of migration regulation and practical aspects of attracting and supporting foreign workers amid a large-scale legislative overhaul.
During the meeting, Andrei Sprinchan delivered a report titled: "The Concept of Russia's Migration Policy 2026–2030: Implementing New Rules into the Practice of Attracting and Supporting Foreign Workers."
In his presentation, he examined in detail the key priorities of the Russian Federation's state migration policy for 2026–2030, including reducing illegal migration, countering the formation of ethnic enclaves, supporting compatriots and foreign citizens who share traditional Russian spiritual and moral values, as well as tightening requirements for labor migrants and their family members.
Special attention was given to the practical mechanisms for implementing the new Concept. Andrei Sprinchan spoke about legislative initiatives providing for the introduction of a permit-based procedure for migrant registration in certain territories, changes to tax conditions for foreign workers, expansion of grounds for deportation due to administrative offenses, a significant increase in state duties, and a reduction in the period for undergoing medical examination to 30 days.
Meeting participants also discussed issues related to attracting foreign specialists who are of interest to the Russian Federation. The report highlighted existing resettlement support instruments, including Presidential Decrees No. 702 and No. 883, as well as the regional standard for social, cultural and economic integration of immigrants developed by ASI. These mechanisms can become an important element in attracting qualified personnel and enhancing the investment and labor appeal of Russian regions.
A special place in the presentation was given to the experiment on organized recruitment of foreign workers, which is planned to be launched in 2027. According to Andrei Sprinchan, this instrument could become one of the key elements of the new system for attracting foreign labor, but in its current version, the draft law retains a number of uncertainties for employers, including the absence of clear regulations, risks of monopolization of certain procedures, and insufficient consideration of the interests of small and medium-sized businesses.
Andrei Sprinchan also addressed issues related to attracting highly qualified specialists. He noted that as of September 1, 2026, a significant increase in the salary threshold for HQS to 717,000 rubles is planned, which is causing concern among the business community. At the same time, the HQS institute remains the simplest, fastest and most effective mechanism for attracting highly qualified personnel, and employers already need to take upcoming changes into account when planning budgets and staffing strategies.
Key risks for business identified included difficulties in medium- and long-term planning, obtaining quotas, additional costs for supporting family members of foreign workers, increased controls, higher fines for violations of migration legislation, the absence of clear criteria for employers, and the high speed of implementing new requirements.
In concluding his presentation, Andrei Sprinchan emphasized that in the new migration realities, employers need to move toward systematic support of foreign labor, assess risks in advance, diversify ways of attracting foreign specialists, and actively participate in discussions of legislative initiatives through business associations and industry unions.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Citizenship and Registration of Foreign Nationals Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, as well as Irina Korotkova, CEO of the Agency for Attracting Foreign Talent to Russia, who highlighted the most pressing problems in the migration sphere and answered questions from participants.
Participation in the meeting allowed representatives of AmCham Russia member companies to receive an expert overview of upcoming changes, discuss practical problems faced by employers, and identify possible measures for adapting business to the evolving migration regulation.
For more information, please contact the consultants of the Confidence Group company.
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