Russia is preparing a pilot project to regulate the recruitment of foreign workers through the use of specialized registries and identification cards. The draft law proposes launching the system on January 1, 2027, for a three-year trial period. The Console platform, which focuses on facilitating compliant and efficient cooperation with self-employed workers, explains how businesses can organize their interactions with foreign workers in 2026 and what preparations should be made in advance.
The key components of the system will include two mandatory registers: a register of employers seeking foreign labor and a register of foreign citizens wishing to work in Russia. Employment will only be permitted when the data in both registers matches. In addition, it is planned to issue foreign workers special identification cards containing personal and employer information. All document management is expected to be fully transferred to an electronic system administered by the Interior Ministry and its subordinate agencies. Foreign workers will also be restricted from changing employers, regions, or professional activities beyond the parameters specified in the register. Violations of these rules will result in exclusion from the register for a period of at least one year.
2026 will be a transitional year: although the pilot project has not yet been officially launched, efforts are already underway to tighten transparency requirements for working with foreign nationals. At the same time, a parallel pilot project to digitalize entry procedures for visa-free foreigners is underway through the ruID mobile app, which will run until June 30, 2026. The app enables foreign citizens to submit an entry application in advance, create a digital profile, complete biometric procedures, and receive a QR code when crossing the border. Although the use of ruID is not yet mandatory, with no penalties for failing to use it, current practice suggests that the government is testing a model for comprehensive digital support of foreign nationals, from entry into the country to employment.
“We are seeing a clear trend: the government is building a fully integrated digital control system, from border crossing to contract execution. For businesses, this means that it will be essential this year not only to properly formalize documents, but also to establish a transparent and verifiable model of interaction with foreign employees. It is already advisable to review migration registration procedures, notifications to the Interior Ministry, the accuracy of contracts, and the actual nature of the working relationship,” explains Alexander Poshtak, a lawyer at the Console platform for facilitating compliant and efficient cooperation with self-employed workers.
The bill is currently undergoing public discussion and may still be amended. However, it is already evident that the government is transitioning toward a digitalized and centralized system for registering foreign workers. If the initiative is adopted, beginning in 2027, the lawful employment of a foreign citizen will only be possible if information about both the employee and the employer is entered into specialized electronic registers.
The pilot project will be rolled out in Russia’s regions and will not apply to Moscow and the Moscow Region. Nevertheless, the latter is already implementing its own pilot initiatives. In particular, visa-free migrant workers are required to complete additional procedures and use the Amina mobile app to transmit their location data to Russia’s Interior Ministry.