DUSHANBE, June 22, Asia-Plus - The CIS Consultative Council on labor, migration and social security of the population held a meeting in Dushanbe on June 22. 

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Maksim Topilin, the head of Russia’s Federal Service for Labor and Employment, noted that legalization of employment documents is a guarantee of labor migrants’ freely entering the territory of Russia.  

According to him, the present Russian migration policy is aimed at improvement of conditions of labor activity of citizens of other countries, in particular Tajikistan, in the Russian Federation.  New migration policy that has been effective since February 15, 2007 promotes regulation of labor migration in Russia. 

Topilin added that rules set by the Russian migration policy are the most liberal within the CIS area.  

Tajik Labor and Social Security Minister Shukurjon Zuhurov telling a briefing pointed to the necessity of raising professional skills of labor migrants.  “Russia now needs workers with specific specialties and this fact should be taken into account,” the minister said.  

The minister noted besides Russia, there are a number of other countries that also need manpower. 

“Recently, I met with my Kazakh counterpart and during the meeting, it was noted that Kazakhstan is ready to accept 8,000 labor migrants from Tajikistan,” said Zuhurov, “A working group has been set up on this subject and 100 our fellow-countrymen have already been sent for seasonal work to this country.”   

The Tajik labor minister also pointed to the necessity of regulating migration to Russia in order to provide workers to those Russian regions where they are most needed.