The news about the protocol’s signing may be important for companies that employ or plan to employ citizens of Russia and Belarus. However, the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ announcement itself does not justify changing HR processes: it contains neither the substance of the amendments, nor the date they enter into force, nor a description of the new requirements. The practically correct position for an employer at this point is to record the fact of the signing and wait for the official text.
What exactly did the representatives of the Ministries of Internal Affairs sign
On September 24 in St. Petersburg, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (МВД России; the Russian federal agency responsible for internal affairs) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus (МВД Беларуси; the Belarusian agency responsible for internal affairs) signed a protocol containing amendments to the Union State Agreement (соглашению Союзного государства). This agreement concerns the rights of citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus to move, choose a place of stay and choose a place of residence.
On behalf of Russia, the document was signed by First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Andrey Kikot. Belarus was represented by First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Yury Nazarenko. This information confirms the fact of the signing but does not disclose which provisions of the agreement have been changed or how the amendments are worded.
Why the news does not yet change HR actions
For an employer, the specific rules matter: which documents must be submitted, what actions are required of the parties, and from what point the new procedure applies. The published announcement contains no such information. Therefore, the fact of the signing alone does not reasonably establish that a new obligation has arisen when hiring citizens of Russia or Belarus.
It is also impossible to determine whether the amendments will affect current employees, candidates, moves between the countries, or the internal procedures of the HR department. The announcement does not directly describe the consequences for employers and employees. Changing templates, internal instructions or checklists before the document is published would be premature.
How to set up monitoring without unnecessary action
The person responsible for the HR process should record the news in regulatory-change monitoring and separate confirmed information from assumptions. The only confirmed fact is that the protocol was signed on September 24; the content of the new provisions and the date they will begin to apply have not been stated.
If the company has employees or candidates who are citizens of the two countries, this does not mean that additional information or documents need to be requested from them. The original announcement specifies neither new documents nor the procedure for submitting them. At this stage, monitoring consists of checking for official publication, not introducing unconfirmed requirements.
What to check after the text is published
When the official text of the protocol becomes available, the employer should compare its provisions with the current HR workflow. It is important to establish whether it provides for changes specifically related to employment relationships, the formalization of employees’ stay, or their residence. This conclusion can be drawn only from the text of the document.
The date on which the amendments enter into force must also be checked separately. It is not automatically the date of signing: the announcement names only the signing date—September 24. Until official information appears, it is impossible to state when the amendments will begin to apply or plan process changes for a specific date.
Source and limits of the conclusion
This information is based on the announcement by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (МВД России) concerning the signing of the protocol. It refers to amendments to the Russian–Belarusian agreement on citizens’ movement, stay and residence, but does not provide the text of the protocol itself.
Therefore, the main operational conclusion for businesses is limited: the event took place, but its practical consequences have not yet been disclosed. The correct decision is to wait for the officially published document and information on when the changes enter into force, without replacing verification with speculation.
What to check
- Record the date the protocol was signed: September 24.
- Find the officially published text of the protocol once it is posted.
- Check whether the document specifies the date on which the amendments enter into force.
- Compare the published provisions with HR procedures only after reviewing the text.
- Do not introduce new requirements for candidates or employees without confirmation from the document.
- Do not draw conclusions about the consequences for hiring until they follow from the official provisions.