The Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) has proposed to equate migrants to Russia citizens for receiving unemployment benefits and a number of other benefits and payments, according to the letter by Ms. Svetlana Chupsheva, Director General of the Agency, to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, according to TASS.

The letter says that the step is proposed as a complex of support measures in the field of labor market and employment conditions in the fashion industry.  It is noted that to equate to the citizens will be the only employed migrants.  It is assumed that they will be able to receive unemployment benefits, as well as a number of other benefits.

The letter notes that similar measure have been introduce in Portugal, where 580,000 migrants have been equated to the citizens of the citizens of the country for the time of combating the coronavirus and its effects.   

“It is necessary to set standards ensuring that the unemployment benefit is in line with the regional subsistence rate, as well as co-financing of respective expenditures from regional budgets (and federal subsidies to beneficiary regions),” says the letter.  “It is possible to set up a crisis fund for those out of work.”

The Agency considers it possible to use two sources to finance such a fund — from the pension fund’s reserve and from the amount of support allocated from regional budgets.

Another proposal is "to provide provisional jobs in state and municipal organizations to employees of enterprises that have suspended operations temporarily, as well as to those out of work."

Moreover, it is suggested that citizens that have lost their jobs should be allowed to carry out public contracts in such sectors as construction, logistics, as well as provide social services to population.

To date, a total of 47,121 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 3,446 patients having recovered from the virus, TASS reported on Aril 20, noting that Russia’s latest data indicates 405 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.

The Agency for Strategic Initiatives or ASI is a Russian autonomous non-profit organization founded by the Government of Russia.  The agency aims to implement a set of measures in the economic and social spheres.  In particular, for the promotion of priority projects, the implementation of measures to improve the business environment in Russia, the development of professional personnel, etc.  Chairman of the supervisory board is Vladimir Putin.