The instruction concerns launching interagency work on preparing migrant workers for life and work in Russia. Based on the available excerpt, this is not yet a new mandatory procedure for companies: the programs, scope of activities, employer involvement, funding and sanctions are not specified. Nevertheless, HR departments and companies employing foreign workers should assess how well their current processes are prepared for possible changes.
What has changed at this stage
The President instructed the Migration Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Миграционной службе МВД), the government body responsible for migration matters, to initiate comprehensive work in the Government of Russia (Правительстве Российской Федерации) on preparing foreign workers. This means that migrant adaptation has been designated as an area for further consideration by government authorities.
The material provided does not indicate that new courses, mandatory briefings or employer documents have already been introduced. It also does not specify the program launch date, the deadline for preparing proposals or the procedure under which employers will have to confirm employees’ participation in adaptation activities.
Which companies may feel the changes first
The issue could potentially affect all employers hiring foreign nationals, as well as HR departments and outstaffing companies. It may be particularly relevant for businesses with high-volume hiring, where new employees need to quickly understand employment and accommodation rules and the organization’s internal procedures.
In such companies, the practical workload usually falls not only on the HR administration specialist. The process also involves department managers, employees responsible for migration support and those responsible for occupational safety. If requirements are introduced, it will be more difficult to turn the separate actions of different departments into a single verifiable process.
Which processes are worth checking in advance
Companies should conduct a working review of their current onboarding of foreign employees. This review should cover not only document processing, but also whether the employee receives clear information about migration obligations, occupational safety requirements, accommodation rules and the employer’s internal regulations.
A useful outcome of such a review would be not the creation of a new mandatory procedure, but a map of the actions already being taken. It would help clarify who explains the rules to the employee, in which language handouts are provided, where the information is stored and which elements are not formally assigned. The material does not establish the form of such a map or a list of mandatory documents.
How to establish oversight without premature decisions
A rational step for an employer is to appoint an employee or group to monitor official publications by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Government and regulatory legal acts. Specific requirements, deadlines, participation procedures and other mandatory conditions may appear in these sources.
Until such acts are published, internal initiatives should not be presented as a state-imposed obligation. It cannot be concluded that a company must already pay for training, send employees to specific courses or obtain proof that preparation has been completed: these matters are not regulated in the source material.
How to reduce HR risks now
A company’s preparedness depends on the quality of its basic support for foreign employees. An up-to-date list of employees, their statuses of stay and document expiry dates helps the HR department understand the scope of possible changes and identify groups that may need an induction briefing or training.
The way information is communicated to employees also requires particular attention. Handouts in an accessible language can make internal rules easier to understand, but they do not by themselves replace future requirements if such requirements are established. Employers should not introduce deductions from wages or mandatory paid courses without a legal basis and formal agreement of the terms with the employee.
What to check
- Appoint a person responsible for migration registration and support for foreign employees.
- Compile an up-to-date list of foreign employees, their statuses of stay and document expiry dates.
- Check how information about migration obligations, occupational safety, accommodation and internal rules is currently provided.
- Identify which departments participate in onboarding and where process gaps arise.
- Prepare clear handouts for employees in a language they can understand.
- Monitor official acts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Government and regulatory publications.
- Do not introduce deductions from wages or mandatory paid courses without a legal basis and formal agreement of the terms with the employee.