AZE.US
A new package of migration bills under consideration in Russia could create additional risks for Azerbaijani nationals who work in the country without proper registration or legal status.
The Russian State Duma is expected to continue debating measures that would tighten migration rules and expand the list of administrative offenses that can lead to deportation.
State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said the number of such violations could rise from the current 22 to 45 if the proposed amendments are adopted.
The new grounds may include discrimination based on gender, race, nationality or religion, as well as refusal to comply with lawful orders from military personnel guarding the state border.
Lawmakers are also preparing additional measures aimed at regulating labor migration.
Azerbaijani economist Natig Jafarli said the changes could affect some Azerbaijani citizens living and working in Russia, particularly those without official registration or the required documents.
At the same time, he noted that a large share of ethnic Azerbaijanis permanently residing in Russia already hold Russian citizenship and cannot be deported.
“They are Russian citizens. They may be held accountable under Russian law for offenses committed inside the country, but they cannot be expelled,” Jafarli said.
According to the economist, the greatest risks are faced by people working without registration or without resolving their legal status.
Jafarli also argued that the tightening of migration policy is partly driven by domestic political considerations. In his view, migrants are increasingly being used as a convenient target for public frustration amid the prolonged war in Ukraine.
AZE.US