Authorities in St. Petersburg have expanded the list of sectors in which foreign nationals working under labor patents, including citizens of Tajikistan, are prohibited from working. The new restrictions cover retail trade, hairdressing and beauty services, fitness clubs, and certain medical and wellness activities.
St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov signed the relevant decree, Fontanka reports, citing the city administration. The restrictions will remain in effect until the end of 2026.
According to the city authorities, the measures are intended to combat informal employment, create more jobs for Russian citizens, including young people and students, and reduce the local economy’s dependence on low-skilled foreign labor.
The ban covers shops, beauty salons, hairdressers, massage parlors, sanatoriums and other facilities in the specified sectors. Employers have until December 15, 2026, to bring their staffing in line with the new requirements.
Who will be affected?
The restrictions apply only to foreign nationals working under labor patents, including citizens of Tajikistan.
They do not apply to citizens of Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states — Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Armenia — or to foreign nationals holding work permits, including highly qualified specialists.
City officials say the measures are designed to reduce informal employment and open up additional job opportunities for Russian citizens.
Earlier restrictions on migrant workers
St. Petersburg has introduced similar restrictions in other sectors. In 2025, the city banned foreign nationals working under labor patents from employment in taxis and courier services, including food delivery.
In December 2025, Beglov extended those restrictions through 2026.
The city administration said the earlier bans had not caused labor shortages in the taxi and delivery sectors. Officials argued that the measures help combat informal employment and reduce the labor market’s dependence on foreign workers.
The latest decree further expands the list of jobs that citizens of Tajikistan and other countries outside the EAEU cannot take in St. Petersburg while working under labor patents.