DUSHANBE, October 30, 2013, Asia-Plus /Avaz Yuldoshev/ -- Tajikistan and the Russian Federation have signed the protocol to the government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation on labor activity and protection of rights of Tajik nationals in Russia and protection of rights of Russian nationals in Tajikistan.

Safiallo Devonayev, Chairman of the Migration Service under the Government of Tajikistan and Konstantin Romodanovsky, Head of Russia’s Federal Migration Service (FMS) inked the document in Moscow on October 29, Tajik migration service agency’s press center reports.

A draft protocol providing for appropriate changes has reportedly been developed by Russia’s Federal Migration Service (FMS) in line with implementation of the memorandum of intent on easing some of the registration restrictions for Tajik migrants coming to Russian that was signed in Dushanbe on October 5, 2012.

Under this document, Tajik nationals will be eligible to obtain three-year work permits in Russia, instead of the current one-year work permits.

It is already the second document signed between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation for the purpose of regulating the labor migration issues and protecting rights of Tajik migrant workers in Russia.

The agreement between Russia and Tajikistan on the procedure for the stay of Tajik nationals in Russia has already been submitted for ratification to the State Duma (Russia’s lower house of parliament).

Under this agreement, Tajik nationals now may stay in the Russia Federation for 15 days without registering instead of the current seven days.

Tajikistan’s lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament ratified this agreement on October 1.