In Russia, standardized fees have been established for migrants taking exams in history and the Russian language.

In Russia, new unified tariffs for exams in the Russian language, as well as Russian history and basics of legislation, have been approved. This is stated in a government decree signed by Mikhail Mishustin.

Previously, there was no uniform cost for the exams, only an upper price limit was set, which has now been established as fixed. The cost of the exam for obtaining citizenship will be 2,950 rubles, for obtaining a temporary residence permit or residence permit — 5,900 rubles, and for obtaining a work permit or patent — 3,800 rubles.

How is the exam structured for migrants?

Since 2015, foreign citizens need to pass an exam for legalization in Russia, which consists of three modules: Russian language, history of Russia, and basics of legislation. The difficulty level of the exam depends on the desired status: the easiest is for obtaining a patent, a medium level of difficulty is for obtaining a temporary residence permit (RVP), and the most challenging exam — level three — is taken by those who want to obtain a residence permit (VNZh).

In the language module, tasks include listening, reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar. The exams for obtaining RVP and VNZh also include an oral component, while this block is absent in the patent exam.

Since spring of this year, significant changes have occurred in the procedure for migrants wishing to legalize their status in Russia. All 12 universities accredited to conduct such exams have terminated contracts with their commercial partners. This decision was made to enhance the transparency and objectivity of the testing procedure.

It remains unclear how the changes in exam costs will affect the number of migrants wishing to work in Russia. Most likely, many migrants will find themselves in a difficult situation due to a lack of financial resources.

It is worth noting that recently there has been a trend in Russia to worsen conditions for migrants. Authorities see migrants as a primary threat to security and job availability. The Russian government believes that jobs currently held by migrants can be given to Russians. However, many Russians are not willing to work for the offered wages and perform hard labor.

It is important to recall that earlier in Russia, labor migrants were blamed for the decline in the ruble's exchange rate. A Russian deputy stated that the ruble collapsed due to migrants sending their earnings back home.