Russia is preparing a new amnesty for migrants: fines instead of deportation

Taxi drivers are the hardest hit by the current rules.

The State Duma started talking about an amnesty for labor migrants deported from the country for minor violations. According to Artem Kiryanov, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, this will help solve personnel problems in the construction and housing and communal services sectors. But why the amnesty does not solve the main problem, Vadim Kozhenov, President of the Federation of Migrants of Russia, told MK.

“Since 2017, there have been about 5-7 amnesties for migrants in Russia,” says Vadim Kozhenov. “In one case, we just forgive the violators who were on the checklist. Getting on this list is pretty easy. So, for two administrative violations within three years, a ban on entry into the country is due. If we imagine that a person works in a taxi, then two violations is rather the norm, given the number of cameras. That is, twice I parked in the wrong place and that’s all – a ban on entry for five years.

At its peak, the watchlist included more than 1 million people who were banned from entering Russia. In different years, in relation to citizens of different countries, decisions were made to partially forgive them. Some specific article of violation is taken, for example, people who have violated the terms of stay, or some other one that does not pose a public danger, and everyone is amnestied.

It is good that these amnesties were. A person works, the employer appreciates him, he builds social ties, and he is taken and expelled when he could have simply been fined.

The most controversial category is those who violated the terms of stay, and they do not have a single opportunity to legalize. At any second, if a person gets caught, he will be expelled, and even through a special detention center.

There was a great experience during the pandemic, when a large-scale migration amnesty took place in the country, and people could easily come to the police station and register. Thanks to our work during the pandemic, we managed to get a million people out of the shadows.

– And what is the meaning of the amnesty, if you can be expelled from the country for twice incorrectly parked car?

– Yes, that’s just the whole stupidity. And so the new legislation, which is now being actively developed, suggests that minor offenses should be punished with fines. Because a fine is money for the budget, and deportation is money from the budget. Accordingly, as soon as this law appears, this stupidity will disappear.

— Have there been any positive changes in the migration legislation over the past year?

— There were no changes regarding large categories. But for university students they made a “temporary residence permit” (RVPO). Previously, they had to make a document every year. Now they sign a contract with a university for 5 years, and immediately receive a RVPO for these 5 years plus 180 days. This is a good thing. But it is necessary to reform the migration registration. Now this is the main problem.