Statistics from Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (Министерство внутренних дел Российской Федерации; МВД), analyzed by Vedomosti («Ведомости»), show an increase in the number of work permits issued: about 215,3 thousand from January–September 2026. For businesses, this is primarily a signal to organize the hiring funnel and personnel checks for foreign candidates more carefully, rather than grounds to consider the employment authorization process simpler or abolished.
More permits issued does not mean new hiring rules
The number of work permits issued was 21% higher than during the same period in 2025. This indicator may mean that there are more candidates on the market with an оформленное right to work. For employers, this may expand the search for specialists if the company is considering hiring foreign personnel.
However, the published data do not indicate that the procedures, issuance periods, quotas or the scope of employers’ obligations have changed. The statistical increase does not confirm that the procedures have been simplified. Therefore, an employment decision cannot be based on the news alone: each candidate requires a separate check of their status and documents.
First determine which document the candidate needs
A work permit is required for certain categories of foreign workers, in particular foreign nationals who require visas. At the same time, the same approach cannot automatically be applied to all foreign nationals: the applicable process depends, among other things, on the person’s citizenship and migration status.
A practical mistake is to treat a work permit and a patent (патент) as interchangeable documents. For recruiters and HR departments, this means that the question of which document is required must be resolved before the person is allowed to actually work, not after the offer has been approved or the person has joined the department.
Checking the permit should be part of the HR process
If a candidate needs a work permit, the employer should check its validity period, the worker’s details and the restrictions specified in the document. The conditions concerning the employer, region and occupation are particularly important if they are stated in the permit.
It is useful to incorporate this check into a single candidate-approval process. The recruiter obtains the documents, the HR function verifies whether the person may work specifically for the organization and in the required position, and the person is allowed to work only after the check has been completed. This reduces the risk of a situation in which the business already needs the employee but it is not legally possible for the employee to continue working.
Monitoring does not end on the employee’s first day
Before the person is actually allowed to work, copies of the migration and authorization documents should be collected and retained in the personnel file. The documents are important not only for the initial assessment: they give the company a basis for subsequent monitoring and confirm what the decision to allow the worker to work was based on.
Separate calendar monitoring is needed for the expiry dates of the work permit and other migration documents, as well as for mandatory notifications applicable to the specific case. The publication does not establish any new deadlines. Employers should rely on the deadlines applicable to the particular employee’s documents and circumstances.
The cost of an error: risk of work suspension and liability
If a foreign national is allowed to work without the required document or with a document that does not permit work for that employer, the company and responsible individuals may face administrative liability. The specific amounts of the sanctions and additional consequences are not specified in the source material.
In addition to the legal aspect, there is an operational risk. It may become impossible to lawfully keep the worker in the position, and the business may have to urgently find a replacement, redistribute tasks and revise its plans. Therefore, it is reasonable to use the increase in the number of permits issued as an opportunity to assess the maturity of the internal process, rather than as a substitute for document checks.
FAQ
Does the increase in the number of work permits mean that it has become easier to hire foreign nationals?
No, the published data do not show that the application procedure, processing times, quotas, or employer obligations have changed. From January to September 2026, approximately 215.3 thousand work permits—documents authorizing foreign nationals to work—were issued, 21% more than in the same period of 2025, but this does not confirm that the procedures have been simplified.
Can a patent and a work permit be treated as the same document?
No, one document cannot automatically be substituted for the other. A patent is a migration document that may authorize certain foreign nationals to work, while the document required for a candidate depends, among other things, on their citizenship and migration status.
What should be checked before allowing a foreign employee to start work?
The employer must determine the candidate’s migration status, identify the required document, and verify the permit’s validity period, the employee’s details, and any stated restrictions. Before allowing the employee to start work, copies of migration and work authorization documents should be retained in the personnel file.
What happens if the document does not allow the employee to work for the company?
The company and responsible individuals may face administrative liability. It may be impossible to lawfully retain the employee in the position, and the business will have to find a replacement, reallocate tasks, and revise its plans.
What to check
- Determine the migration status of each foreign candidate.
- Establish which document gives the person the right to work: a work permit, a patent or another applicable status.
- Do not replace a work-permit check with a patent check, or vice versa.
- Verify the permit’s validity period, the employee’s details and the restrictions specified in the document.
- Check whether the person may work for your organization, in the required region and in the required position, if this is provided for by the permit’s conditions.
- Before allowing the person to work, retain copies of the migration and authorization documents in the personnel file.
- Put document expiry dates and applicable mandatory notifications under HR monitoring.