Russia may reintroduce pre-entry health checks and vaccinations for incoming migrants

Speaking amid ongoing discussions about the spread of meningococcal infections allegedly “brought in by migrants,” Gennady Onishchenko, Russia’s former chief sanitary officer, proposed introducing stricter health regulations for foreign workers entering Russia.

According to Onishchenko, if Russia requires foreign specialists, their stay must be governed by clear and enforceable conditions. “Why are we sitting idly by?” he asked. “We cannot live without migrants. Try running Moscow for a single day without them. At 5 a.m., I see two Tajik men sweeping the courtyard – they’re doing important and noble work. No one here wants to be a janitor. If we are going to invite migrants, we must set conditions.”

He stated that, as in previous decades, Russia should resume signing agreements with migrants’ home countries concerning medical screening and vaccination requirements. He cited the global spread of HIV/AIDS as an example from the past.

“At the time, we signed agreements with countries, requiring their citizens to undergo checks before arriving. In some cases, we trusted their documentation. In others, we conducted the checks ourselves. Now, migration needs to be regulated again. If necessary, vaccination must be mandatory. Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have never refused cooperation in this matter,” Onishchenko said.

In 2024, approximately 6.3 million migrants entered Russia from various countries. Uzbek citizens made up 23.3% of that number – nearly 1.5 million people. Migrants from Tajikistan accounted for 16.7%, Kyrgyzstan 10.4%, and Belarus 9.5%.