Experts Approve Draft Agreement of Cooperation on Issues Medical Insurance for Migrant Workers

An additional meeting of the expert group on finalising the draft Agreement on Cooperation of the CIS Member Nations on Medical Insurance of Migrant Workers and Their Family Members was held at the CIS Headquarters.

The meeting brought together representatives of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and the CIS Executive Committee. The Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS was represented by Secretary of the IPA CIS Permanent Commission on Social Policy and Human Rights, Executive Secretary of the IPA CIS Expert Advisory Board on Public Health Evgenia Vladimirova, who had been working within the expert group throughout 2024-2025.

In her address, Evgenia Vladimirova stressed the importance of ensuring that the draft Agreement complies with international law and the fundamental CIS instruments, including the Convention on the Legal Status of Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families of CIS Member Nations and the Model Migration Code.

The experts reviewed comments and proposals submitted by a number of Member Nations and, following discussion, approved the draft Agreement by a majority vote. It was decided to submit the document for consideration by the CIS Council of Heads of Government.

The issue of providing medical care to migrant workers and their family members residing with them in the host country remains highly relevant both for the CIS and globally. Migrant workers, especially those without qualifications, often lack social protection and have limited access to healthcare.

Emergency and urgent medical care for citizens of CIS Member Nations staying in another CIS country is regulated by international agreements adopted in 1997 and is provided free of charge, while planned medical care is delivered on a paid basis.

Given the specific health risks, financial difficulties, and language barriers faced by migrant workers, the draft Agreement was developed within the CIS framework. The document defines the procedure and key areas of cooperation in the field of voluntary medical insurance for migrant workers and their family members during employment in the countries participating in the Agreement.