The possibility of a foreign labor influx was suggested by Urals-based commerce chamber head Andrey Besedin

Update: This story has been rewritten to include the government's reaction to Besedin's remarks.

Russia's Labor Ministry has denied a claim that up to one million Indian nationals could immigrate to Russia by the end of 2025 for work

The possible influx was suggested by Ural Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI) President Andrey Besedin has asserted that a million Indians could immigrate to Russia for work, citing assertions made by New Delhi officials in an interview with Eurasian News Agency (EAN).

The ministry said the federal government's quotas for foreign workers have already been set. In 2025, just under 235,000 migrants can enter Russia for employment, including 71,817 from India.

Besedin said Russia's industrial enterprises are under pressure to expand production, both due to state policies on import substitution and the demands of the ongoing military operation in Ukraine.

However, he noted that the region lacks a sufficient number of qualified personnel. "Part of the workforce has been sent to the special military operation, and the youth are not going to factories," he said. According to Besedin, Indian migrants are expected to work in metallurgy and mechanical engineering.

Talks are also underway with Sri Lanka and North Korea about potential labor cooperation, Besedin said. He acknowledged that Russia lacks experience working with migrants from these countries but described the initiative as a "new level of international labor cooperation."

The Labor Ministry has forecast a shortage of 3.1 million workers by 2030, and reported that in 2024, companies hired only 47,000 qualified migrants from countries whose citizens require a visa for entry.

Following the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in March 2024, Russia has implemented stricter migration controls. More than 190,000 foreign nationals were expelled from the country that year, according to the Interior Ministry. A new federal agency was established in April 2025 to enforce immigration rules and reduce violations.

Despite the increased restrictions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that reducing the number of labor migrants would not be in Russia's interests. He noted that the country is facing a shortage of workers and warned that lowering immigration levels could render development goals "less realistic." At the same time, he emphasized the need to ensure that immigrants obey the law.

(RT.com)