The number of patents issued to labor migrants from visa-free countries in Russia has decreased by 21 percent. Yuri Moskovsky, Chairman of the Migration Commission of the Council on Nationalities under the Moscow Government, noted that this figure may not necessarily indicate a real decline in the flow of migrants.
According to the expert, the decrease in the number of patents is highly likely related to a change in the legal status of migrants. Many foreign workers may have obtained Russian citizenship or a temporary residence permit (RVP), thereby leaving the category of those working on the basis of a patent. Currently, citizens of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan continue to make up the majority of labor migrants in Russia.
According to Rosstat data, by the end of 2025, 91,000 highly qualified foreign specialists were working in Russia. As of January 1, 2026, the number of foreigners in Russia for the purpose of employment reached between 2 million and 2.2 million. It was also noted that about 400,000 students are studying in the country, which is a quarter more than in the previous period.
According to statistics, the number of foreign workers employed under a visa regime is 280,000. This accounts for 12–14 percent of the total number of migrants, which is an increase of more than four times compared to the previous figure of 3 percent.
