Alexander Kalinin, President of Opora Russia (ОПОРА РОССИИ), told Izvestia (Известия) that the Russian labour market may need to attract approximately 2 million additional workers from abroad. In his assessment, the foreign workforce has declined from approximately 6 million to 4 million people. This is the position of a business association, not an announcement of a new quota, programme or employer obligation.
Why the Business Estimate Matters for Workforce Planning
The estimate of 2 million people reflects the business community’s view of the consequences of the decline in the inflow of foreign workers. For a company with unfilled vacancies, this does not mean that the required personnel will appear automatically. On the contrary, the shortage may intensify competition among employers for candidates, particularly where large numbers of workers are needed.
Construction, manufacturing, logistics, housing and utilities, agriculture, retail and services may be the sectors most affected. However, the decision to hire foreign nationals should be based not on a general market estimate but on the company’s own data: the number of vacancies, occupations, sites, regions and the period for which personnel are required.
First Identify the Source of the Labour Shortage
It is useful to divide the need into short-term and longer-term requirements. In the first case, the company should determine whether the shortage is related to a specific site, seasonal demand or shift work. In the second, it should assess whether the shortage persists in particular occupations and whether it can be reduced by reallocating shifts, introducing automation or recruiting Russian candidates.
This analysis helps prevent the hasty onboarding of foreign workers. When acting in haste, the HR department may not have time to verify the grounds for employment, the region and occupation, or the validity periods of documents. Saving time at the outset may result in having to terminate the employment relationship if the worker loses the right to work.
The Recruitment Process Depends on the Candidate’s Citizenship
If a company decides to recruit foreign nationals, candidates should be divided in advance into visa-required and visa-free nationals. The processing procedures and document packages for these groups differ. Visa-required foreign nationals generally need quotas, permits to engage foreign workers and work permits; for visa-free nationals, the grounds for employment must be checked, including a patent—a work permit for certain visa-free foreign nationals—where one is required.
The employer must also check whether a particular vacancy may legally be filled by a foreign worker, taking into account regional and sector-specific restrictions. The general market need for workers does not отменя́ the current requirements applicable to the specific region, type of activity, occupation and candidate documents.
Document Checks Become Part of the Production Process
Hiring does not end with signing an employment contract. The company needs a clear system for monitoring migration registration (the required registration of a foreign national’s place of stay), patents, work permits and other documents. For documents with limited validity periods, a calendar with designated responsible employees and data-validity checks is required.
The HR department should also be prepared to submit mandatory notifications to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (МВД России), the Russian authority responsible for migration and employment notifications, regarding the conclusion and termination of employment contracts. The original statement does not specify new deadlines: they depend on the candidate’s status, the region, whether a quota is required and the applicable permit procedures. Therefore, the business estimate cannot be treated as grounds for abbreviated processing.
The Budget Must Cover More Than Salaries
When personnel are in short supply, the cost of filling a vacancy consists of more than wages. The budget should include processing, onboarding, accommodation, transport and HR support. This makes it possible to compare different ways of meeting staffing needs and assess whether the company is ready to support the process for the entire period of the employee’s work.
If recruitment and processing are not planned in advance, vacancies may remain unfilled for longer, while lower staffing levels may affect productivity. Attempting to speed up hiring without checking documents creates a risk of fines, suspension of operations and termination of the employment relationship with a worker who has lost the right to work. The material does not specify the exact amounts of the sanctions.
What to Check
- Prepare a 3–12-month staffing forecast: the number of workers, occupations, sites and regions.
- Check whether some vacancies can be filled by Russian candidates, automation or changes to shift schedules.
- Determine whether hiring foreign workers is permitted for the required types of activity and in the required regions.
- Divide candidates into visa-required and visa-free nationals before processing begins.
- Verify each candidate’s right to work in the specific occupation and region.
- Set up a calendar for monitoring migration registration, patents, work permits and other documents.
- Assign responsibility for notifications to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (МВД России) regarding the conclusion and termination of contracts.
- Budget for processing, onboarding, accommodation, transport and HR support.