Reinstated Requirement for Employers to Ensure that Foreign Employees are Vaccinated against Measles

Decree No. 1 of Russia’s Chief Public Health Officer "On Clean-Up Vaccination against Measles in the Russian Federation," dated 8 February 2023 (hereinafter, the Decree), will enter into legal force on 20 March 2023.

Pursuant to the Decree, employers hiring foreign individuals are required to ensure their immunization against measles by 31 December 2023 if the foreign employees have not previously had measles, have not been vaccinated or there is no information on whether they have been vaccinated.

Article 6.3 of the Administrative Offences Code of the Russian Federation establishes the following liability for failure to observe the requirements stipulated in the Decree:

• for officials: from RUB 500 to RUB 1,000
• for persons carrying out entrepreneurial activities without forming a legal entity: from RUB 500 to RUB 1,000 or administrative suspension of operations for a period of up to 90 days
• for legal entities: from RUB 10,000 to RUB 20,000 or administrative suspension of operations for a period of up to 90 days

Note that this is not the first time the Chief Public Health Officer has required immunization against measles: similar measures applied in 2019−20.

B1 is monitoring the situation and will keep you informed of future legal developments.