St. Petersburg expands migrant labor patent ban through 2026

St. Petersburg's administration extended its ban on labor-patent-holding foreign workers to medicine, hairdressing, cosmetology, retail, and fitness, effective through end-2026. Citizens of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan are exempt, reflecting Russia's selective migration policy amid labor shortages. The move signals tightening domestic labor restrictions in a major Russian city, potentially affecting migrant-dependent sectors.