Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered the government to work out a bill easing immigration restrictions in the country and consider the cancelation of immigration quotas for high-qualified foreign specialists, the Kremlin said on Thursday.
The bill is intended to "optimize" the immigration regime for foreigners invited to work in Russia by "organizations implementing investment, scientific, and high-technology projects" in the country.
The bill should be developed and introduced to the Russian parliament by March 1.
According to the Russian Federal Migration Service, there are about 15 million immigrants currently living in Russia, the majority illegally. Most of them are from former Soviet republics.
MOSCOW, February 11 (RIA Novosti)