Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have issued advisories cautioning citizens against traveling to Russia, citing “additional security measures and enhanced border controls” put in place by Russian authorities. 

The Tajik Embassy in Moscow issued an advisory on September 10, telling Tajiks “to temporarily refrain from traveling to the Russian Federation unless absolutely necessary.” The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry issued a similar advisory earlier in September.

The economic ramifications of the advisories could be significant, given that hundreds of thousands of labor migrants from both countries travel to Russia to work. Remittances sent home to relatives in Central Asia are a major source of financial sustenance for many families.

In August, Russian lawmakers tightened migration rules, making it easier to expel those found in the country without proper documentation, and reducing the time that foreigners can stay in Russia. The changes were widely seen as a part of a response to the Crocus City Hall terrorism tragedy, in which Tajik militants killed over 140 individuals attending a concert in Moscow. The new restrictions heighten a paradox for the Russian wartime economy: while public attitudes toward guest workers have certainly grown more hostile and less welcoming, the Russian economy is suffering an acute labor shortage.

The advisories may have only a limited impact on labor migration, as illegal migration appears to be rampant. In September, Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that during the first seven months of 2024, almost 93,000 deportation orders were given to foreign citizens, the overwhelming number of them from Central Asia. That number marked an over 53 percent increase in deportation orders, compared to the same period in 2023. The Interior Ministry estimated the number of illegal migrants in Russia at about 630,000.