On November 20, the State Duma of the Russian Federation approved a bill according to which the compulsory health insurance (CHI) policy will only be available to those labor migrants who have a five-year insurance record in the country. This was reported by the press service of the State Duma.
According to Vyacheslav Volodin, the chairman of the State Duma, to be able to access free medical assistance in Russia, foreign citizens must legally work for at least five years. Only emergency situations will be exceptions. "Foreigners who come to work in our country and seek to receive high-level social guarantees must confirm their right to this through lawful labor," he added.
The CHI policy is a document that certifies the right to receive free medical assistance within the framework of the state program. Previously, migrants were required to work in Russia for at least three years to obtain this policy.
The explanatory note to the bill states that the five-year work requirement will apply to foreign citizens and stateless persons temporarily residing and working in Russia, with the exception of highly qualified specialists and foreign workers sent to branches, representative offices, and subsidiaries of foreign organizations registered in World Trade Organization (WTO) member states.
The law will come into effect after being signed by the President of the Russian Federation.
