Up to 80% of labor migrants do not know Russian language - Federal Migration Service
MOSCOW. Dec 24 (Interfax) - Most young labor migrants have a poor command of the Russian language, according to the Federal Migration Service.
"By our estimates, up to 80% of migrants younger than 30 do not know Russian," Federation Migration Service Deputy Head Anatoly Fomenko said at a Monday meeting of the Presidential Human Rights Council.
A law that requires foreigners working or planning to work in public utilities, trade and services to validate their knowledge of the Russian language entered into force on December 1.
The rule was established by the amendments to federal laws "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation" and "On Education."
"From now on, foreign citizens from visa-free travel countries employed in public utilities, retail trade and household services must know Russian at least on the basic level," Federal Migration Service spokesperson Zalina Kornilova told Interfax on December 1.
"Migrants will be unable to receive a labor permit unless they present a certificate attesting their knowledge of the Russian language or some other education certificate recognized by Russia," she said.
