Since January 1 of this year, limits have been established in some regions of Russia on the number of foreign workers at construction sites — no more than 50 percent of the total number of employees. This initiative was implemented as part of a decree developed by the Ministry of Labor of Russia and approved in accordance with plans until 2025.
Anton Glushkov, president of the National Association of Builders, expressed doubt that the introduction of new quotas will have a significant impact in 2026. He noted that most migrants working in construction are citizens of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, who obtain patents that are not subject to the new restrictions. In the medium term, a reduction in quotas may lead to an increased shortage of workers, especially in unskilled positions.
Currently, migrants make up 13-15 percent of the total number of workers in the construction industry. Despite the introduced restrictions on permits and qualifications, employers remain interested in attracting foreign labor to work during peak loads.
It should be noted that quotas do not apply in 21 regions of Russia, including the DPR, LPR, as well as St. Petersburg, Leningrad, Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
