Country profile RUS
National Legal Framework
National Legal Framework
| Provision | Legislation date | Convention | Legislation info | sources | Value | sort_order | Provision description | Legislation description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | 2000 ; 2021 | C138 & C182 | Government Decision No. 163 ; Order of the Ministry of Labour of Russia No. 467n | [{"link_name":"-Government Decision No. 163","source_link":"https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/r/natlex/fe/details?p3_isn=56100"},{"link_name":"-Order of the Ministry of Labour of Russia No. 467n","source_link":"https://normativ.kontur.ru/document?moduleId=1&documentId=472590"}] | Yes | 7 | C138 and C182 require the national determination of a list of hazardous work prohibited for children under 18 years of age. The competent authorities should consult with workers' and employers' organizations to determine what types of employment or work are considered to be hazardous. Such a list shall be periodically examined and revised as necessary. | Government Decision No. 163 establishes the official list of jobs and activities prohibited for persons under 18 years old in Russia, based on the Labour Code’s provisions regarding harmful or dangerous work. It serves as the central reference for labour inspections and legal compliance. Order No. 467n, issued by the Ministry of Labour in 2021, complements this by refining the definitions of harmful and/or dangerous production factors and types of work, providing detailed technical criteria to support enforcement and occupational health evaluations. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 2001 | C138 & C182 | Labour Code of the Russian Federation - Articles 265, 266 | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Russian Federation","source_link":"https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/rus_e/wtaccrus58_leg_363.pdf"}] | 18 | 6 | C138 and C182 set 18 as the minimum age for hazardous work, which is defined as work that, due to its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to jeopardize children’s health, safety or morals. C138 and C182 allow countries to permit hazardous work exceptionally as from 16, provided that the health, safety and morals of the young persons concerned are fully protected and that they have received adequate specific instruction or training. | The Labour Code of the Russian Federation prohibits the employment of minors under the age of 18 in work that is harmful to their health or moral development. Article 265 explicitly bans employment of individuals under 18 in dangerous or harmful conditions, including underground work and jobs involving alcohol, narcotics, or gambling. Article 266 allows for the approval of lists of such hazardous jobs and provides the framework for state labour inspection to monitor compliance. There is no general provision permitting hazardous work at 16 with safeguards; thus, the default minimum age remains 18 for hazardous work. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 1996 | C182 | Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - Article 228.1, Article 230 ; Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances | [{"link_name":"Criminal Code of the Russian Federation","source_link":"https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/ru/ru080en.pdf"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | The Criminal Code of the Russian Federation criminalises illegal production, distribution, and trafficking of narcotic drugs. Article 230 explicitly addresses inducement to use drugs and includes aggravating circumstances when minors are involved. Article 228.1 imposes harsher penalties for drug trafficking involving minors. Federal Law No. 3-FZ on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances further prohibits the involvement of minors in any drug-related activities, including transportation and distribution, and mandates prevention measures targeting child and youth involvement in drug crimes. These laws collectively prohibit the use of children in drug production and trafficking, in line with C182. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 1996 | C182 | Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - Article 127.1, 134, 135, 240(3) and 242 | [{"link_name":"Criminal Code of the Russian Federation","source_link":"https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/ru/ru080en.pdf"}] | No | 10 | C182 prohibits the use of a child under the age of 18 for prostitution, regardless of the child's consent. The use, procuring or offering of any person under the age of 18 for commercial sexual exploitation constitutes a worst form of child labour, even if prostitution is a legalised. In regard to the prohibition of child pornography, States need to make sure that national legislation addresses the involvement of a child in the production of pornographic materials, including non-recorded performances. | The Criminal Code of the Russian Federation contains provisions that criminalise various forms of sexual exploitation of children. Article 134 and 135 prohibit sexual acts with minors under 16 and indecent acts without violence. Article 240(3) criminalises coercion or involvement of a minor in prostitution, but the term "involvement" is poorly defined and does not clearly cover offering or procuring. Articles 242.1 and 242.2 prohibit the production and distribution of child pornography, though possession of self-produced materials by minors is not criminalised. Article 127.1 criminalises trafficking in persons, including children, for sexual exploitation. However, gaps remain in fully addressing all forms of commercial sexual exploitation, especially with regard to offering or procuring, and there is no explicit liability for clients of child prostitution in all circumstances. |
| Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? | 1998 | C182 | Law on Conscription Obligation and Military Service | [{"link_name":"Law on Conscription Obligation and Military Service","source_link":"https://base.garant.ru/178405/"}] | Yes | 9 | C182 defines forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict as a worst form of child labour. Nevertheless, C182 only prohibits the forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18, and does not cover the voluntary recruitment of children under 18. | Russian law establishes mandatory military service for male citizens aged 18 and above, typically up to 30 years, and only in peacetime or under mobilisation scenarios. There is no legal provision allowing compulsory recruitment of those under 18. Citizens as young as 17 are included in the military registry, but cannot be conscripted or forced into service. The law requires that conscripts be personally summoned and sign documentation, with avoidance treated as a criminal offence. Despite recent extensions of upper age for conscription, the minimum age remains firmly at 18, ensuring that forced or compulsory recruitment of minors is prohibited in compliance with C182. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 1996 | C182 | Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - Article 127.1 | [{"link_name":"Criminal Code of the Russian Federation","source_link":"https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/ru/ru080en.pdf"}] | Yes | 8 | C182 defines all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour as worst forms of child labour. | Russia criminalises the sale and trafficking of persons—including children—for the purpose of exploitation. Article 127.1 of the Criminal Code (added in December 2003) defines human trafficking to include buying and selling individuals or any actions involving their recruitment, transport, transfer, harbouring, or receipt for exploitation, which covers sexual exploitation, forced labour, and other forms of abuse. When the victim is a minor, penalties range from 8 to 15 years’ imprisonment, with increased sentences if violence is used or the act is committed by an organised group. These statutes fully prohibit the commercial exploitation and trafficking of children, aligning with the requirements of C182. |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | 2001 | C138 | Labour Code of the Russian Federation - Articles 63, 198, 202, 203 | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Russian Federation","source_link":"https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/rus_e/wtaccrus58_leg_363.pdf"}] | 14 | 5 | C138 does not apply to work done in school for general, vocational or technical education or in training institutions or work done by children at least 14 years of age in undertakings, where such work is carried out in accordance with conditions prescribed by the competent authority. Such work must be an integral part of: (i) a course of education or training for which a school or training institution is primarily responsible; (ii) a programme of training mainly or entirely in an undertaking, which programme has been approved by the competent authority; or (iii) a programme of guidance or orientation designed to facilitate the choice of an occupation or of a line of training. | The Russian Labour Code provides for a formal apprenticeship contract (“ученический договор”) under Chapter 32. Article 198 allows employers to conclude an apprenticeship contract with individuals seeking employment or already employed, aiming to acquire a profession. Article 202 specifies that apprenticeship can occur full‑time or part‑time and is integrated with employment. Article 203 stipulates that apprenticeship working time must not exceed normal hours for minors, excludes overtime, business trips, and requires a stipend not lower than the federal minimum wage. The Code does not set a separate minimum age, but Article 63 permits light work from age 14, including under apprenticeship schemes, provided parental/guardian consent and authority approval. Thus, apprentices aged 14–15 may engage in structured vocational training under approved contracts, aligning with C138’s exemption for apprenticeships. |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 2001 ; 2012 | C138 | Labour Code of the Russian Federation ; Federal Law on Education - Article 67 | [{"link_name":"-Federal Law on Education","source_link":"https://legalacts.ru/doc/273_FZ-ob-obrazovanii/"},{"link_name":"-Labour Code of the Russian Federation","source_link":"https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Russia-Labour-Code.pdf"}] | Yes | 4 | C138 requires that the minimum age for admission to work shall not be less than the age of completion of compulsory schooling and, in any case, shall not be less than 15 years. | The Labour Code sets the minimum age for employment at 16, or 15 for those who have completed basic general education. According to Article 67 of the Federal Law on Education, basic general education in Russia is completed at the end of Grade 9, typically at age 15. Therefore, the minimum age for admission to work aligns with the age at which compulsory education ends, meeting the requirement under Convention C138. |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | N/A | C138 | N/A | [{"link_name":"N/A","source_link":"N/A"}] | No | 3 | If the country chooses to allow light work, States must determine what activities are considered light work, and the hours and the circumstances under which they may be carried out. | No national regulation or list explicitly defining permitted types of light work or detailed conditions for such work has been adopted. |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | N/A | C138 | N/A | [{"link_name":"N/A","source_link":"N/A"}] | N/A | 3 | If the country chooses to allow light work, States must determine what activities are considered light work, and the hours and the circumstances under which they may be carried out. | No national regulation or list explicitly defining permitted types of light work or detailed conditions for such work has been adopted. |
| Minimum age for light work | 2001 | C138 | Labour Code of the Russian Federation | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Russian Federation","source_link":"https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Russia-Labour-Code.pdf"}] | 14 | 2 | C138 defines light work as work that does not interfere with children’s schooling, or their ability to benefit from it, and that is not hazardous. C138 allows countries to permit light work for children younger than the general minimum age. For countries that set the minimum age at 15, this means children aged 13-14, and for those that set it at 14, children aged 12-13 may engage in light work. | The Labour Code of the Russian Federation permits the employment of children from the age of 14 to perform light work that does not interfere with their education and is not harmful to their health or moral development. This employment must occur outside school hours, with the written consent of a parent or guardian, and the approval of the local labour inspectorate. |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 2001 | C138 | Labour Code of the Russian Federation - Article 63 | [{"link_name":"Labour Code of the Russian Federation","source_link":"https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Russia-Labour-Code.pdf"}] | 16 | 1 | C138 establishes 15 as the minimum age for work in general. Developing countries have the option of setting a minimum age of 14 as a transitional measure as they strengthen their education systems and economies. | According to Article 63 of the Labour Code of the Russian Federation, the general minimum age for admission to employment is 16 years. However, persons who are 15 years old may be employed if they have completed general education or have left school. |
International Legal Framework
International Legal Framework
| Ratification status | Convention | Convention description | Date of ratification | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in-force | C182 | Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) | 25-MAR-2003 | Source |
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 03-MAY-1979 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research did not provide evidence of any specific action plans or strategies specifically addressing child labour. | [{"link_name":"Source","source_link":"No information"}] | No information | No information | No information |