After January 15, instead of mandatory registration for foreign citizens, migration registration at the place of stay is introduced, which is of a notification nature. All foreigners entering the country must report their arrival, except those who arrive for a period of no more than three days. The procedure assumes that the guest of Russia will have to present to the border guards an identity document and a migration card, which is issued to everyone who crosses the border of the Russian Federation (for example, on a train or plane). After that, the border authorities themselves will transfer data on his arrival to the migration registration authorities.
However, the law 'On Migration Registration of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in the Russian Federation' states that the registration procedure at the border does not end there. Upon arrival at the place, the foreigner must report themselves to the local FMS authorities. The fine for violating the stay regime in Russia will be from 2 to 5 thousand rubles or deportation.
For migrants from countries with a visa-free entry regime, a new procedure for obtaining work permits is also introduced. True, this does not apply to all areas of activity - for example, specialists servicing heating systems are rarely exported to neighboring countries, since there is enough work at home. But as for builders or traders, those wishing to work for the benefit of Russia and their wallet will only need to provide the territorial FMS body with an identity document, a migration card, and a health certificate. According to the head of the FMS department for Moscow, Fyodor Karpovets, refusal to accept an application is not allowed, and the document must be considered in the prescribed manner within no more than 10 days.
Employers will no longer have to obtain permission to use foreign workers. Now it will be enough to notify the local FMS authorities in writing about the appearance of a migrant at the workplace. Managers who forget to do this risk paying a fine for each illegal worker they hire. An individual entrepreneur will pay 350-800 thousand rubles, the fine for legal entities will be from 500 to 800 thousand. At the same time, the company's activities may be suspended for three months.
However, not all entrepreneurs will be able to hire migrants. Recall that since January 15, a government decree on the allowable share of foreign labor in retail trade has come into effect in Russia. Migrants will be banned from selling alcohol and medicines. Until April 1, 2007, the share of foreign sellers in retail stalls and markets will be limited to 40% of the total number of workers, and by the end of the year, migrants will be completely banned from trading. What will happen in 2008, only the government knows. Thus, according to the head of the committee for interregional relations of the Moscow government, Alexei Alexandrov, 770-780 thousand foreigners will receive work permits in the capital.
Ordinary Russians who dare to invite a foreigner to visit will also not be left without the attention of officials. For example, if an uncle from Kyiv or Brighton Beach comes to visit and his visit lasts more than three days, then citizens will have to report the foreign guest to the migration service. And when the uncle leaves, you must not forget to notify the officials about this. Otherwise, they may be fined up to 4 thousand rubles.
"In principle, we did not invent anything new with this law," explained Mikhail Yemelyanov, a member of the State Duma committee on constitutional legislation and state building, in an interview with "Novye Izvestia." "On the one hand, new migrants will be attracted, and on the other hand, this will make the scheme more transparent and attract exactly those people who are really needed in Russia." However, according to him, some migrants who are not included in the quotas provided may have to leave Russia.
Putin Approves Amendments to Law on Entry into Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed amendments to the law on the procedure for exit from and entry into Russia. According to Interfax, the law was adopted by the State Duma on December 8, 2006 and approved by the Federation Council on December 22. The signed law is aimed at clarifying the grounds for placing a mark on the restriction of entry in the identity document of a foreign citizen or stateless person.
It is provided to exclude from the grounds for restricting entry the failure to provide a valid medical insurance policy in Russia, since this restriction may arise for a short time and is eliminated by providing such a policy.
At the same time, the federal law proposes to include two new grounds for placing a mark on the restriction of entry into Russia. Such grounds are, firstly, the presence of an unexpunged or outstanding conviction of a foreign citizen or stateless person for committing a grave or especially grave crime, and secondly, a decision made regarding a foreign citizen or stateless person on the undesirability of his stay (residence) in Russia.