On Friday January 27, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received visiting Russian First Deputy Prime Minister, Igor Shuvalov.

According to the Tajik president’s official website, the two sides discussed state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation, including the state of Tajik labor migrants working in Russia.

Rahmon and Shuvalov, in particular, discussed issues related to a new package of agreements that are expected to be signed in the near future, the website says.

These agreements are reportedly aimed at strengthening legal and social protection of migrant workers.  

Details of a draft government-to-government agreement on an organized recruitment of nationals of Tajikistan for work in Russia have been published on the Russian website Life. 

The draft agreement was reportedly sent for consideration to the Tajik side.  The Tajik authorities reportedly propose to ease requirements for stay of Tajik nationals in the Russian Federation.  They, in particular, propose to remove the point from the agreement under which Tajik migrants should work only for those companies with which they concluded contracts initially.  He Tajik authorities also ask the Russian side not to deport Tajik migrants workers being left without work, according to Life.