Russia is weighing a concrete requirement for a practical driving test for foreign nationals seeking a category B license to work as taxi drivers, according to reports from Kommersant that reference a draft law drafted by LDPR deputies led by party leader Leonid Slutsky.
The proposal argues that while holding national driving rights and passing the theoretical portion of the exam may currently suffice for passengers to be ferried, a full licensing process would demand a practical test as well.
The bill states that category B licenses would be issued only after both theoretical and practical examinations have been successfully completed. It adds that foreign nationals who already hold a Russian category B driver’s license and operate taxis would need to pass a practical exam before June 1, 2025.
Earlier, regional authorities in the Leningrad region announced a ban on hiring foreign taxi drivers, a restriction that was set to last through the end of 2024.
According to the report, the governor of the Leningrad region acted on the request of the regional prosecutor’s office to halt foreign nationals from operating in the passenger taxi sector and from renting cars with drivers.
Across the country, 18 Russian regions have imposed bans on foreigners working in taxi services, and some have extended restrictions to other areas such as passenger transport, catering, retail, and hotel industries as part of broader regulatory moves.
In addition, there has been ongoing discussion about the status of the most commonly used cars in the market and how these regulations might affect the overall market for passenger transport in Russia.
[Citation: Kommersant]