More companies exempt from ban on Turkish workers

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? The Russian government has expanded the list of employers who are allowed to hire Turkish nationals.

What does the change mean? The government has exempted designated companies from a ban on hiring Turkish nationals that was implemented in January.

• Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing.
• Visas/permits affected: Work visas.
• Who is affected: Russian companies employing Turkish nationals.
• Business impact: Companies on the list may hire Turkish nationals and apply for work visas. Some of the companies on the list may only hire the same number of Turkish nationals as were employed as of Dec. 31, 2015 – the date before the ban took effect.

Background: On Jan. 1, 2016, the government placed several restrictions on Turkish nationals, including a ban on Russian employers hiring Turkish nationals who were not already in an employment agreement as of the ban. The Russian government has now expanded the list of companies exempt from the ban. The full list is available here.

BAL Analysis: Employers should continue to track the status of Turkish employees in Russia for work permit expirations. In addition, the ban continues to apply to the visa waiver and thus requires that Turkish nationals obtain a visa to enter Russian territory.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Russia. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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