As of October 28, 2026, employers in the Moscow Region should take into account the results of migration raids: the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (MVD) reports that the issue of liability is being considered for 36 employers. The MVD is Russia’s federal authority responsible for internal affairs and migration control. The inspections identified violations of stay regulations and cases of illegal employment of foreign nationals.
The MVD reported nearly 300 violations in the Moscow Region
[The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia reported nearly 300 violations of migration legislation during police raids in the Moscow Region](https://mvdmedia.ru/news/operativnye-novosti/pochti-300-narusheniy-migratsionnogo-zakonodatelstva-vyyavleno-v-khode-politseyskikh-reydov-v-podmos/). The report concerns enforcement practices in the Moscow Region and does not establish separate rules for hiring foreign workers.
For an employer, this is not a procedural change in itself, but a signal to compare the actual organization of work with the current requirements for engaging foreign nationals. During HR compliance checks, the entire set of circumstances matters: the legality of the employee’s stay and the legality of their employment. These are the categories of violations identified by the MVD following the raids.
Stay violations were identified for 240 foreign nationals, and illegal work for 21
The MVD divided the raid results into two specific groups. Stay violations were identified for 240 foreign nationals, while the police reported illegal work in the case of 21 foreign nationals. These figures should not be combined: the agency presents them as different identified circumstances.
| Results of raids in the Moscow Region | Number |
|---|---|
| Stay violations among foreign nationals | 240 |
| Illegal employment of foreign nationals | 21 |
| Employers for whom the issue of liability is being considered | 36 |
The issue of liability is being considered for 36 employers
According to the MVD, the issue of holding 36 employers liable is being considered. This wording means that the issue is under consideration, rather than that a confirmed decision has been made for each employer. Therefore, the HR department should not apply this figure to a specific company or draw conclusions about anyone’s liability without individual data.
The employer’s practical task is to check its own process for engaging foreign personnel against the MVD’s official requirements. It is useful to compare the HR practices in use with these requirements before the next inspection and to ensure that the information used by the HR function does not diverge from the actual organization of foreign nationals’ work.
The MVD did not specify special deadlines or new penalties in the report
The report does not specify any deadlines. It also does not introduce new penalties or establish new requirements: the agency reports the results of police raids and the consideration of the issue of liability for 36 employers.
This distinction is important for internal communications. The raid results should not be presented to employees as a new regulatory regime with a separate effective date. It is more accurate to use them as a basis for checking the current procedure for engaging foreign workers against the MVD’s official requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Who was affected by the raid results in the Moscow Region?
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia reported nearly 300 identified violations and the consideration of the issue of liability for 36 employers in the Moscow Region. The report was published on October 28, 2026.
What violations did the police identify?
Stay violations were identified for 240 foreign nationals. In another 21 cases, the MVD reported illegal employment of foreign nationals.
Have the 36 employers already been held liable?
No. The MVD uses different wording: the issue of holding 36 employers liable is being considered. This is not equivalent to reporting that a decision has been made for each of them.
What to check
- Review the official MVD report on the results of raids in the Moscow Region.
- Compare the procedure used for engaging foreign workers with the current official requirements of the MVD.
- In the internal review, separate issues concerning foreign nationals’ stay regulations from issues concerning the legality of their employment.
- Check whether the actual organization of foreign employees’ work corresponds to the company’s HR records.
- Assign responsibility for monitoring compliance with the current requirements when engaging foreign workers.