The Commissioner for the Protection of Entrepreneurs' Rights in St. Petersburg (business ombudsman) Valery Kalugin intends to appeal to the city governor with a request to ease the ban on migrants working under patents in the beauty industry. He announced this at a press conference on October 21.
"There are different sectors. If we are talking about taxi drivers or delivery couriers on scooters, that is a completely different matter. But when it comes to the sector involving hair salons and manicure services, I think this decision has not been fully thought through," Kalugin said.
The business ombudsman noted that the governor's decree on the new restrictions has already been signed and is in effect until December 15. "We are preparing a proposal for the governor to reconsider this decision," he said. According to Valery Kalugin, against the backdrop of recent changes in tax legislation, beauty salons are already struggling to cover their costs and are operating without profit.
Vladimir Menshikov, director of the Union of Small Enterprises, noted that the introduction of restrictions for a few months is perceived by businesses as an experiment. "It's as if they are saying: 'Try working in December without foreigners and we'll see what happens.' Entrepreneurs interpret this as: 'We are putting a noose around your neck now, and then we'll see if you can breathe. If there is air, everything is fine; if not, we will loosen the noose a little,'" he said. According to him, business representatives want to receive more substantiated explanations from officials regarding decisions that affect their operations. "For people, especially in the current unstable and changing times, it is very important to understand the reason for a decision and what it might lead to," Menshikov concluded.
Recall that Smolny (the St. Petersburg administration) has officially banned foreign citizens with work patents from working in St. Petersburg in the fields of medicine, hairdressing services, cosmetology, retail, physical culture, and wellness. The ban is in effect until December 15, 2026. Officials state that these restrictions are necessary to combat shadow employment. Previously, a similar ban was introduced for taxi drivers and couriers.
