Russia: New rules for foreign workers worry business
From this Wednesday, December 29, foreigners who arrive in Russia to spend more than 90 days there will have to be tested for tuberculosis, syphilis, Covid-19, AIDS, narcotics.
© AP / Pavel Golovkin
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
From this Wednesday, December 29, foreigners arriving in Russia to spend more than 90 days there must be screened for tuberculosis, syphilis, Covid-19, AIDS and narcotics.
New very restrictive standards whose official aim is to strengthen the health security of the Russian population.
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With our correspondent in Moscow
,
Jean-Didier Revoin
At a time when the planet is living in fear of
Covid-19
, these new rules are worrying the business world.
"
Health shield
": this is what the Russian authorities call the battery of in-depth medical tests which the hundreds of thousands of foreign workers active in the country will have to comply with.
A gloomy prospect for Grégory, who has been living in Russia for ten years: “
My life is here.
All entrepreneurs like me who have settled in Russia are going to have to do it.
We do not have a choice.
I'm not going to go home, close my shop and go home.
"
In addition to urine and blood analyzes, Grégory will therefore provide the authorities with his fingerprints, as well as a biometric photo.
Constraints that worry the business community.
Possible additional costs for the workers concerned
"
It is quite clear that this will mean additional costs for these foreign workers
," said Tadzio Schilling, director of AEB, the Association of European Businesses in Moscow.
Until now, these tests were performed once, when applying for a work or residence permit and not every three months, as required by a decree published in November.
“
We have developed very constructive relations with various Russian government bodies,”
recalls Tadzio Schilling
.
And in this case, we have already received signals of some kind of understanding of the concerns and that there is a will to find a solution.
"
Indeed, the Ministry of Health specified that these tests would not be quarterly, without giving more details.
For its part, the AEB understands the health concerns of the authorities, but hopes to reach a compromise before the end of the year.
►
To read: Russia: the Kremlin prefers not to impose the health pass in transport
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