Thousands of migrants to lose jobs in Russia's St. Petersburg Taxi drivers, couriers

Thousands of migrants in St. Petersburg will be barred from working in taxi and delivery services, said Tatiana Morozkova, Deputy Head of the Committee on Labour and Employment of the Population of St. Petersburg

According to Morozkova, over 200,000 work patents were issued to migrants in St. Petersburg last year, with 1.6% allocated to taxi work and 3.4% to courier services—roughly 10,000 people in total, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

She added that many taxi drivers and couriers also work under other types of work patents, such as those for general labour, and are hired by employers under these alternative permits.

Morozkova emphasised that the ban on migrant employment in taxi and delivery services is not expected to have a significant impact on the city’s economy.

On August 11, Governor Alexander Beglov signed an order prohibiting migrants from working as taxi drivers in St. Petersburg, effective until the end of 2025. This was later expanded to include all delivery services, reflecting concerns about migrant involvement in high-visibility urban jobs. Posts on X reported the initial restriction, with some users noting its impact on local courier services.

By Khagan Isayev