Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia proposes to cancel exams for foreign workers of resident companies of advanced development territories

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia has prepared amendments to the law, exempting foreign workers of resident companies of advanced development territories from confirming their knowledge of the Russian language, history, and laws of the country. A project of changes to the law "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation" was published on October 12. The amendments were developed in accordance with the protocol of the meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and the Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, Yuri Trutnev, dated April 29, 2026. The proposed measures apply to foreign citizens regardless of their country of origin.

The agency explained that the cancellation of mandatory exams will help employers to hire foreign specialists faster and improve the investment climate. According to the explanatory note, there are more than 90 advanced development territories in Russia with more than 1.5 thousand residents, who have created over 140 thousand jobs, while enterprises are experiencing a shortage of personnel. The Ministry of Economic Development of Russia notes that 16 advanced development territories are operating in the Far East and two in the Arctic zone.

The initiative is currently at the stage of a draft law, and until an official decision is made, the general procedure for taking exams remains in effect. The Migration Agency of Uzbekistan reported that they are monitoring the consideration of the amendments and will inform citizens after a decision is made.