Moscow news
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22-Mar-2007
Over 160,000 work permits issued to foreigners in Moscow
MOSCOW, March 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Over 160,000 work permits have been issued to foreign citizens in Moscow from January 15, 2007, Fyodor Karpovets, the chief of the Moscow agency of the Federal Migration Service, told on Thursday the meting of the centre under the Moscow government for dealing with labour immigration. ?A large number of work permits are for employment in construction, transportation, industry and housing amenities,? he said.
The new immigration laws proved effective for solving immigration problem in the capital, he said. There are problems with employers, however. Only 5,000 notifications of employing foreign citizens came to the Federal Migration Service offices in Moscow. ?We believe fines imposed will discourage employers from being slack about notifications. There have been no repeat failings with enterprises that have already been fined,? he said.
Altogether almost 2,000 infringements connected with foreign citizens? employment came to light during checks made jointly by the Federal Migration Service, Federal Service for Supervision of Consumers Protection and Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor) and Moscow?s interior agency, Karpovets said. As many as 1,917 entrepreneurs were fined. ?The fines paid by employers total 27 million roubles. Out of this sum, ten million roubles were paid by major entrepreneurs and persons holding state posts,? Karpovets said.
He expressed certainty that the pace at which Moscow?s executive authorities introduce changes connected wilt new immigration laws will make it possible fully to meet the needs of Moscow employers in foreign labour.
Amendments to immigration laws envisaging stricter punishment of employers arranging for illegal immigration came into force on January 15, 2007. The fine for an immigrant amounts to 4,000-5,000 roubles while the fine entrepreneurs should pay for one illegally employed immigrant is 800.000 roubles.
Itar Tass