The State Duma of Russia approved comprehensive immigration legislation on July 8 that ties the legal status of foreign workers and their families to their economic earnings, a measure that worsens the situation for thousands of Cubans working in the country under irregular conditions.
Under the new regulations, migrant workers will need to demonstrate that they earn sufficient income to support themselves and their dependents, in accordance with the cost of living established by the Russian government and by each region where they reside.
Those who do not reach this minimum threshold or become unemployed will have their work permit —the temporary visa for low-skilled jobs— canceled or not renewed, and will have only 15 days to leave Russian territory before being deported.
The tax authorities will report the income of each migrant to the Ministry of the Interior every three, six, nine, and twelve months to verify compliance, and workers will also be required to pay an advance income tax for themselves and each dependent family member.
The children of migrants will be allowed to stay in Russia as long as their parents' work permit is valid, but upon turning 18, they will have only 30 days to obtain their own work permit or face deportation.
The bills still need to pass through the Federation Council —the upper house of the Russian parliament— and be signed by President Vladimir Putin to take effect.
The president of the Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, defended the measures by stating that "they are aimed at bringing order to immigration matters" and noted that the chamber has approved 30 immigration laws since 2024, in a legislative escalation triggered by the attack on Crocus City Hall in March of that year, which left at least 144 dead.
For Cubans in Russia, the potential impact is considerable. According to a report by El Toque, most work without legal contracts in sectors such as construction and cleaning, earning between 50,000 and 60,000 rubles a month — about 500 dollars — and are frequently victims of intermediaries who withhold part of their payments.
This informality places them in a particularly vulnerable position regarding the new income verification requirements, as they will likely struggle to demonstrate the minimum required income to the Russian authorities.
The deportations of Cubans from Russia have steadily increased: at least 15 Cuban migrants were expelled in a single week in July 2025, and in 2026 there have been reports of Cubans held indefinitely at the Sájarovo deportation center, 70 kilometers from Moscow, with no contact with family or the Cuban consulate.
This migratory pressure is compounded by the recruitment of Cubans to fight in the war against Ukraine.
According to reports from Cuban opponents, between 20,000 and 25,000 Cubans are said to have been recruited, many under the threat of deportation if they did not sign a military contract.
A Cuban captured on the front summarized it this way: «I was given a choice: deportation or war».
Those deported from Russia receive re-entry bans ranging from five to ten years, effectively closing that migration pathway for thousands of Cubans who arrived in the country seeking an economic escape from the crisis on the Island.
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