Amid ethnic unrest, Russian governor bans migrant workers from dozens of jobs in construction, farming, and public transport

Aisen Nikolaev, the governor of Yakutia, has signed an executive order prohibiting the employment of foreign citizens in 33 different fields. The new policy bans registered migrant workers from taking jobs in agriculture, construction, and catering, as well as passenger public transport. Local enterprises in these fields have three months to fire all foreign citizens.

What on Earth prompted this crackdown? In mid-March, Yakutia witnessed several protests against migrant workers, after a Kyrgyz immigrant was charged with raping a local woman. Following the crime, several migrant workers in Yakutsk have received threats and even been attacked, leading many migrants in the area to close shop and stay home from work.