St Petersburg official proposes ban on migrant workers in retail

The head of St Petersburg’s regional police, Roman Plugin, has proposed banning migrant workers from employment in retail and wholesale trade.

Speaking during an annual report to the city’s legislative assembly, Plugin said authorities were drafting an initiative similar to existing restrictions that bar foreign nationals working on patents from jobs in taxi and delivery services.

“We are preparing our initiative and intend to submit a proposal to ban the use of migrant workers in any capacity at retail and wholesale trade facilities,” he said, adding that he believed such a move would not harm the economy.

The proposal follows a late-January incident in which two security guards from Uzbekistan allegedly strangled a 24-year-old visitor at a supermarket after suspecting him of theft.

Under Russian law, citizens of Azerbaijan, Moldova, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are required to obtain work patents.