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Berry picking, taxi driving, and oil drilling Here are the jobs Russian regions have banned foreigners from doing in 2025

Source: Meduza
In 2025, regional authorities across Russia have continued to tighten restrictions on the kinds of jobs foreigners can hold. One of the latest bans came in August in St. Petersburg, where foreigners are now <a href="https://meduza.io/en/news/2025/07/29/st-petersburg-bans-most-foreigners-including-uzbekistani-and-tajikistani-nationals-from-working-as-taxi-drivers-and-couriers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">barred</a> from working as couriers. The Russian authorities have been introducing such measures since 2015, applying them to foreigners working under work permits. More recently, the list of banned jobs has expanded as part of the country’s broader <a href="https://meduza.io/en/episodes/2024/04/19/migration-and-discrimination-in-putin-s-russia" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">crackdown on foreigners</a> following the 2024 Crocus City Hall terrorist attack.
In 2025, regional authorities across Russia have continued to tighten restrictions on the kinds of jobs foreigners can hold. One of the latest bans came in August in St. Petersburg, where foreigners are now barred from working as couriers. The Russian authorities have been introducing such measures since 2015, applying them to foreigners working under work permits. More recently, the list of banned jobs has expanded as part of the country’s broader crackdown on foreigners following the 2024 Crocus City Hall terrorist attack.

Cover photo: Peter Kovalev / TASS / Profimedia