The General Confederation of Trade Unions proposed expanding the involvement of trade unions in regulating labour migration and developing mechanisms for the organised recruitment of workers. The proposal was put forward at a meeting of the Council of Heads of Migration Authorities of the CIS Member States.

The jubilee, thirtieth meeting of the Council took place on 24 September in Saint Petersburg, hosted by the Russian Federation. It was chaired by Andrei Kotikov, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, with representatives of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan taking part.

The discussion centred on the prospects for developing a common migration space within the Commonwealth, amendments to national legislation, the organised recruitment of workers, digital tools for regulating migration processes, and the exchange of information between states. Particular attention was paid to preparing workers for employment abroad, verifying their qualifications, and cooperation between government agencies in the sphere of migration.

Margarita Usova, GCTU Deputy General Secretary, delivered a report titled "New Contours of the Migration Space of the CIS Member States: The Position of the Trade Unions of the Commonwealth Countries". The GCTU proposed that the position of workers' representatives be taken into account when shaping labour migration mechanisms, and that these mechanisms be developed on the principles of social partnership.

"We believe that organised recruitment, which is the central idea of today's migration policy in the CIS, can indeed ensure the mutual security of all countries participating in this process, while at the same time properly preparing migrants for work in another country," Margarita Usova noted.

The meeting also discussed new approaches to information exchange between CIS countries, the use of digital solutions for regulating migration flows, and improving mechanisms for the organised employment of citizens outside their home countries.

Following the meeting, the information presented by the GCTU on its experience of cooperation with international organisations in the sphere of migration was included in the draft decision. Council members were invited to submit data on the results of such work by 1 February 2027, while the Secretariat was asked to explore possibilities for expanding the interaction of CIS countries with relevant international organisations.

Work on aligning the approaches of the Commonwealth countries in the sphere of labour migration will continue.