The State Duma (Russia’s lower chamber of parliament) is pushing for tighter health controls on incoming labor migrants.  A new legislative initiative proposes that foreign workers must present medical certificates proving they are free from certain infectious diseases before entering the country.

The proposal, announced by Yaroslav Nilov, head of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy, and Veterans' Affairs, would make it mandatory for migrants to carry valid medical insurance and certificates showing they do not have HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, or tuberculosis.  The suggested measures would also require proof that the individual is not using narcotic or psychotropic substances.

“In many countries, entry is denied without proper health insurance.  Why should we be any less strict, especially given the scale of labor migration into Russia?” Nilov wrote on his Telegram channel.  “Those coming to work in Russia should help solve our problems, not bring new ones.”

Under current Russian law, foreign nationals staying in the country for over 90 days must undergo a medical examination, typically after arrival. The new initiative aims to shift that medical screening to before migrants cross the Russian border, requiring such documentation to be prepared in their countries of origin.

Nilov emphasized that without the required documents, entry into Russia would not be permitted. The bill is part of ongoing efforts to tighten immigration and public health regulations amid rising concerns over uncontrolled migration.