New Migration Notification Forms Effective September 1, 2026: What Employers Need to Know
Senior Associate Vladimir Kwon has prepared a review of Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia No. 290 dated May 12, 2026, which approved new forms of migration notifications and the procedure for their submission. The document will enter into force on September 1, 2026 and will apply to the formalization of employment and civil-law relations with foreign citizens, as well as to the submission of notifications concerning highly qualified specialists.
What will change for employers
At first glance, the changes are technical in nature, since the obligation to notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia of the conclusion and termination of employment and civil-law contracts with foreign citizens remains in place. In practice, however, errors in completing notifications, incomplete information or the use of outdated forms are most often the grounds for bringing employers to administrative liability.
From September 1, 2026, employers will need to use new forms of notifications on the employment of foreign citizens, as well as new forms of notifications on the fulfilment of salary payment obligations to highly qualified specialists. The procedures for completing and submitting such documents have also been updated.
Particular attention should be paid to notifications concerning highly qualified specialists. The new form requires the taxpayer identification number of the highly qualified specialist, as well as information on the validity period of the work permit and the term of the employment or civil-law contract. At the same time, information on the profession or position has been removed from the salary payment notification form.
According to Vladimir Kwon, employers should not treat the update of the forms as a mere formality.
“Most migration risks arise not because a notification was not submitted at all, but because of errors in its completion. After the Order enters into force, the use of old forms will effectively constitute a breach of the established notification procedure. Employers engaging highly qualified specialists should pay particular attention to the changes, since the new form requires additional information, including the specialist’s taxpayer identification number and the details of permit documents,” Vladimir Kwon noted.
What should be done in advance
Before September 1, 2026, employers are advised to review the HR templates and internal procedures they use for interaction with migration divisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, update notification forms, check the availability of taxpayer identification numbers and other mandatory information for each foreign employee and highly qualified specialist, and provide additional instructions to employees responsible for migration registration.
“Formal violations in the field of migration registration have traditionally been among the most sensitive issues for employers. An error in a notification may result in significant administrative fines and, in certain cases, suspension of the organization’s activities. Therefore, preparations for the transition to the new forms should begin before the date on which they enter into force,” Vladimir Kwon emphasized.
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