By SCM REPORTER
BRITAIN’S favorite takeaway habit would be under threat in Russia today as a major region prepares to axe migrant workers from the frontline of the service industry.
Starting April 1, the Rostov region is slamming the brakes on foreign labor, banning migrants from working as taxi drivers, couriers, and food traders.
The hardline decree, signed by the regional governor, means thousands of workers from countries like Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will be forced out of their delivery vans and off their mopeds.
The ban doesn’t just stop at your Friday night kebab. The new rules prohibit migrants from:
Driving taxis or buses
Delivering food and parcels
Selling groceries, booze, or tobacco
Local bosses have been given a strict deadline to “clean up” their staff lists or face eye-watering fines of up to £8,500 per violation
Rostov isn’t acting alone. This latest move is part of a “migrant-free” wave sweeping across Vladimir Putin’s heartlands.
More than a dozen regions—including St. Petersburg, Tula, and Magadan—have already pulled the plug on foreign labor in the service sector.
While officials claim the move is to “boost safety” and give jobs back to Russians, critics warn it could lead to a massive shortage of drivers and longer waits for a ride home.
The crackdown follows a surge in anti-migrant sentiment across Russia over the last year, leading to tougher laws on “patent” work permits and increased police raids on warehouses and construction sites.
Background: Why the Ban?
The Russian government is currently overhauling its migration policy following security concerns and a push for “economic sovereignty.”
By restricting migrants to heavy industry or construction, regional leaders hope to force local students and unemployed Russians into the service jobs currently dominated by foreign workers.
