by Alimat Aliyeva
New rules governing medical examinations for foreign nationals
entering Russia for work came into force on September 1.
Previously, migrants had 90 days after entering the Russian
Federation to undergo a medical examination confirming that they
did not have dangerous infectious diseases or HIV and had not used
illegal drugs. Under the new rules, this period has been reduced to
30 days.
In addition, foreign nationals planning to stay in Russia for
more than 30 days are now required to undergo a medical examination
once a year. The cost of the examination must be covered either by
the migrants themselves or by their employers.
Another important change concerns the organizations authorized
to conduct these examinations. Intermediaries are no longer allowed
to arrange or conduct medical checks for labor migrants. Only
officially authorized medical organizations will be permitted to
carry out the examinations.
A medical examination will also be required when applying for a
temporary residence permit or work permit, as well as when renewing
or reissuing a work patent.
Following the examination, migrants will receive a medical
certificate, including in electronic form. The results will also be
entered into the Unified State Health Information System
(EGISZ).
If a dangerous infectious disease, HIV, or drug use is detected,
the medical organization must notify the Ministry of Internal
Affairs and Rospotrebnadzor within 24 hours. This will allow the
authorities to quickly decide what measures should be taken,
including possible deportation.
One notable aspect of the new rules is that medical monitoring
is becoming more regular. Instead of undergoing a single
examination after arrival, migrants staying in Russia for an
extended period will now have to confirm their health status every
year.
For foreign workers and their employers, this means that keeping
track of medical examination deadlines will become an important
part of maintaining legal employment and residence status in
Russia.