President Vladimir Putin has instructed the Government of Russia (Правительство Российской Федерации) to prepare трудовые мигранты arriving in Russia for work and life in the country. The information was reported following a meeting with Andrey Kikot, Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Department for Citizenship Issues (Служба по вопросам гражданства МВД). For employers, this does not mean that a new procedure is being introduced immediately, but it indicates possible changes in how foreign employees are recruited, onboarded and supported.
What is known about the instruction
The instruction concerns preparing foreign workers before they arrive in Russia and during their stay in the country. Its stated aim is to help them adapt to work and everyday life. This is important for companies that engage foreign nationals directly or through contractors: future decisions may affect the worker’s journey from entry into the country to the start of work.
No specific measures have been announced yet. The report contains no information about a preparation program, mandatory documents, categories of foreign nationals, the procedure for confirming completion or the employer’s role. It also does not specify when the measures will be developed or the date from which potential requirements could take effect.
Why HR should not passively wait for new rules
Even without new regulations, the quality of onboarding affects how manageable hiring is. A worker who has not understood the employment terms, schedule, site rules or how to request assistance is more likely to make mistakes. For the employer, this means more time spent explaining procedures, a higher risk of conflicts and more difficult oversight of compliance with internal rules.
Another practical area is the clarity of information. The formal existence of documents does not guarantee that a foreign employee has understood their contents. It is therefore useful to check who provides initial information, which topics the company covers and how acknowledgment is confirmed. This work does not replace future regulatory procedures, should they be introduced, but it allows weak points to be identified in advance.
Which hiring and onboarding processes to review
A company can start by mapping the new employee’s journey: from the first contact and paperwork through to authorization to start work. At each stage, it should determine whether the worker receives clear information about employment terms, pay, working hours, occupational safety requirements and local rules. It is equally important to check whether the rules governing stay in Russia are explained within the scope of information the company normally provides to its personnel.
Materials should be prepared in languages understood by the main groups of workers. Companies should also record briefings and acknowledgment of local rules by signature or another permitted method. The format for recording this information and the list of documents for future preparation have not yet been established, so there is no need to create new mandatory forms based on the instruction alone.
How to establish oversight without unnecessary costs
A practical measure is to appoint an employee or designate a function responsible for monitoring official acts of the Government of Russia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (МВД) and other government agencies. Such documents will be able to establish whether preparation is mandatory, how employers participate and which supporting documents are required. Companies should rely on published regulatory decisions rather than assumptions about the content of future requirements.
At the same time, HR can cross-check the documents of current foreign workers against the existing rules on employing foreign nationals, migration registration (the employer’s statutory registration and reporting process for foreign workers), employment contracts and occupational safety. The instruction does not cancel or amend these rules. Time and budget reserves for possible training or confirmation of preparation may be included in planning, but the specific costs cannot be determined at this stage.
Which risks are already relevant
There is no immediate penalty solely because the instruction has been published: specific employer obligations and liability have not been established. It cannot be assumed that employers are already required to send workers for training, demand a particular certificate or submit a new document to a government agency. These conclusions are not supported by the source information.
At the same time, inadequate onboarding creates ordinary operational risks. These include breaches of labor discipline caused by a failure to understand the rules, errors in documents, difficulties complying with migration requirements and accidents resulting from insufficient understanding of safety instructions. Reviewing these processes helps employers reduce risks regardless of what subsequent regulation looks like.
What to check
- Appoint a person responsible for monitoring official decisions of the Government of Russia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other government agencies.
- Review the onboarding journey for foreign workers from paperwork through to authorization to start work.
- Check how employment terms, working hours, pay and site rules are explained.
- Check that acknowledgment of occupational safety requirements and local rules is conducted and recorded.
- Update introductory guidance materials in languages understood by the main groups of workers.
- Cross-check the HR and migration documents of current foreign workers against current requirements.
- Set aside time and budget in case regulatory requirements for preparation are introduced.