"Russian language exam for migrants requires upgrade". Aleksandr Babich, Senior Vice-Rector at St Petersburg University, on the new law on combating illegal migration

On 18 November 2024, the State Duma of the Russian Federation passed a draft appeal to the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Mishustin, presenting initiatives to implement comprehensive measures to combat illegal migration. Notably, the draft suggests introducing mandatory Russian language testing for all foreign citizens and preventing migrants from enrolling in general education institutions without a confirmed level of Russian language proficiency.

On 9 November 2024, the Russian Federation enacted Federal Law No 377-FZ, which amends Articles 15-1 and 15-2 of the Federal Law "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation."

In this context, Aleksandr Babich, Senior Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Admissions at St Petersburg University, outlined the outcomes of the University’s efforts in this area. He talked about the impact of new language testing standards on the examination system and measures to enhance the quality of Russian language training for foreign citizens in the Russian Federation.

The draft appeal adopted by the State Duma places particular emphasis on Russian language proficiency testing. What part did St Petersburg University play in preparing this draft?

Since 2021, St Petersburg University has been raising the issue of the need to improve the examination procedure in Russian as a foreign language, Russian history and the fundamentals of Russian legislation for foreign citizens. The University has repeatedly submitted its recommendations to optimise the current examination system to: the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation; the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science (Rosobrnadzor); the Apparatus of the Government of the Russian Federation; the Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation; and other relevant agencies. In mid-December 2023, at a meeting with the Government Apparatus, St Petersburg University expressed its willingness to develop a new testing procedure. By 12 January 2024, the draft rules had been prepared.

It is crucial that the executive authorities, above all the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, take into consideration St Petersburg University’s proposals when developing new regulations pursuant to the adopted federal law. These proposals address the exam’s structure, procedure, content, task complexity, and the reinstatement of the speaking subtest as a mandatory component.

The Language Testing Centre at St Petersburg University was established in 1997 for organising and conducting state testing of foreign citizens in Russian as a foreign language. Drawing on its extensive experience, the University put forth several recommendations during the 2021 development of the new exam procedure and subsequently, after the changes were adopted. These recommendations included the imperative of reinstating the oral part of the test. St Petersburg University also proposed revisions to the state examination procedures. Along with that, the University has suspended Russian language exams for migrants for over eight months. What prompted this decision, and how has the situation changed?

That decision stemmed from an assessment of the examination content and procedure. While doing our work, we realised that the existing exam requirements fail to accurately determine the real-life Russian language proficiency of test-takers, both for the purposes of communication in professional environments and for everyday communication. The existing exam format does not facilitate an objective assessment of language skills. Most critically, for foreign citizens seeking a work permit or patent, it does not evaluate communicative competence in oral communication at all, due to the absence of a speaking subtest. All examination questions for foreign citizens are publicly accessible on the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements website, complete with indicated correct answers. This situation reduces the examination process to mere memorisation, as test-takers only need to commit about 100 correct answers to memory to pass the exam. Regarding the exam for foreign citizens seeking a work permit or patent, it consists of just 20 questions. Of these, 19 are multiple-choice questions with three answer options, and one requires writing down a word from the question. Passing the exam requires only half of the questions to be answered correctly.

Despite repeated efforts to change the rules for organising and conducting the exam, St Petersburg University failed to change the situation. Consequently, the University first suspended exam administration and then initiated its withdrawal from the list of organisations authorised to conduct the exam for migrants.

Thus, the critical factor in this situation became the exam’s actual content: how can foreign citizens be expected to know Russian and communicate in Russian-speaking environments effectively when the Russian language exam does not facilitate the assessment of these skills?

Which proposals for comprehensive measures, developed by the University’s experts, have been included into the new project?

Currently, the law only outlines a general framework for establishing a new list of organisations authorised to conduct the Russian language exam for migrants. Our proposals address the specific implementation of this law at the subordinate legislation level. Hence, it is of paramount importance that the executive authorities, primarily the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, should develop new regulations that take into consideration the recommendations of St Petersburg University experts.

In our proposals, St Petersburg University advocates for the implementation of additional measures to strengthen the criteria for test administration, namely: reinstating the mandatory speaking subtest; mandating video recording of the entire examination procedure; conducting regular on-site inspections of examination venues; and establishing a comprehensive database of both successful and unsuccessful test-takers. We also emphasise the need to introduce QR codes to verify the certificate authenticity.

Could you please elaborate on the University’s proposals?

Indeed, but please note that a detailed response would be quite extensive, as a few words would not suffice. The University has put forth the following suggestions to upgrade the Russian language exam for migrants.

First, we recommended integrating components that assess oral communication skills into the examination structure for the level required to obtain a work permit or patent. These skills are crucial for effective oral communication in Russian, enabling foreign citizens to interact competently in Russian-speaking environments. Since 2021, the exam for this level has been administered exclusively in written form, with all possible task variants and correct answers readily available online. This has led law enforcement agencies to lodge complaints against organisations authorised to conduct the exam, because many foreign citizens, who hold a certificate of proficiency in the Russian language, knowledge of the history of Russia, and the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation, remain unable to communicate orally in Russian. At the same time, the organisations authorised to conduct the exam do not have legitimate tools to assess speaking skills of foreign citizens applying for work permits or patents. This issue cannot be resolved without re-introducing a speaking skills subtest.

Second, we recommend mandating on-site inspections of examination venues for all organisations authorised to conduct the exam. A minimum frequency of such inspections should be set; for example, inspections should occur at least twice per month.

Third, we recommend implementing QR codes on certificates of proficiency in the Russian language, knowledge of the history of Russia, and the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation. These QR codes should enable representatives of federal executive authorities, employers, and law enforcement agencies to quickly verify the certificate’s authenticity and access detailed information about the exam conditions for the foreign citizen, including the exam location, scores for each exam part, and a video recording to identify the certificate holder and obtain a voice sample. For certificates corresponding to the level required for obtaining a work permit or patent, such a recording could be a video self-introduction of the foreign citizen, which is already mandatory at St Petersburg University. For other exam levels, the QR code should grant access to a video recording of the oral part of the exam. Implementing this initiative will require amendments to Order of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation No 400 of 26 May 2021 "On approval of the forms of the certificate of proficiency in the Russian language, knowledge of the history of Russia and the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation at the level corresponding to the purpose of obtaining a temporary residence permit or a residence permit, a work permit or patent, technical requirements for it, as well as the procedure for issuing the said certificate."

Fourth, we propose creating a comprehensive database of foreign citizens who have passed or failed the Russian language exam for migrants, including information on any violations committed during the exam. Such a database should compile information provided by all examination conducting organisations on a regular basis and should be accessible to representatives of federal executive authorities, law enforcement agencies, and employers.

Fifth, we advocate for mandatory video recording of the entire examination procedure.

Sixth, we recommend setting a waiting period before a test-taker can retake the exam after a failed attempt at any testing organisation, for instance, a one-month waiting period.

Seventh, it is essential to mandate that organisations administering the exam must submit the inspection results to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and make them publicly accessible.

Eighth, Russian companies employing a significant number of foreign nationals should support the linguistic and socio-cultural adaptation of their foreign workers. To this end, these companies should be required to provide foreign workers with interpreters or offer mandatory Russian language training at no cost to their foreign workers.

Ninth, to comply with Federal Law No 53-FZ of 1 June 2005 "On the State Language of the Russian Federation," employers of foreign citizens must establish a work environment where communication occurs exclusively in Russian and ensure compliance with this requirement. Foreign citizens should communicate in Russian at the workplace. Such an approach will enable foreign citizens to develop their communication skills and improve their Russian language proficiency through daily work interactions. Currently, however, employers often facilitate communication in native languages by providing documents, announcements, and memos in those languages, rather than promoting Russian language use within the workplace. Such practices by employers not only contravene the requirements of Federal Law No 53-FZ of 1 June 2005, "On the State Language of the Russian Federation," which mandates the use of the Russian language in the document management systems of organisations, regardless of ownership (subparagraph 1, part 1, article 3). They also create an environment that demotivates foreign workers in their efforts to learn Russian and contributes to language attrition among those who already possess some level of Russian language proficiency. Without regular practice, these individuals may struggle to maintain their Russian language skills.

These constitute our core proposals. Indeed, there are also some purely technical suggestions, but these are the proposals we consider essential.

Prior to 2021, how did authorised testing organisations, including St Petersburg University, conduct the Russian language exam for foreign citizens planning to work in Russia? What prompted the need to review the regulations on Russian language testing for foreign citizens?

Until August 2021, the state exam for migrants consisted of 40 questions on Russian as a foreign language, along with writing tasks (completing a questionnaire or application form in Russian) and two speaking tasks comprising 10 questions that required detailed answers. However, starting from 1 August 2021, the exam content underwent significant changes. The Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements, which develops the assessment materials for the exam, reduced the number of questions to 20 and completely eliminated the speaking subtest for the level required to obtain a work permit or patent. These changes had a profound impact on the quality of the exam. Currently, the exam comprises three sections: nine questions on the Russian language; five questions on the history of Russia; and six questions on the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation. As previously mentioned, a foreign citizen must answer 50 percent of the questions correctly to pass. It is crucial to reiterate that the exam lacks any questions designed to assess oral communication (speaking) skills. This omission is a critical drawback, as it fails to translate theoretical knowledge into practical skills.

Which thematic areas, in your view, should be strengthened, and which topics should be removed from the exam tasks for migrants?

I believe it is necessary to emphasise areas related to everyday life, work, and the fundamentals of the legal system of the Russian Federation beyond merely identifying the Russian national flag. Furthermore, it would be beneficial to incorporate questions covering historical events and cultural aspects significant to our country.

Topics lacking practical relevance for everyday life and work should be eliminated from the examination. It is essential that the exam should serve both our interests — above all, the state interests of Russia, the receiving society, and our traditional cultural and moral values and the real-life needs of migrants, helping them to adapt to the new cultural and social environment and serving as a true instrument of socio-cultural adaptation.

St Petersburg University administered the state exam for migrants and collected a fee for this service. How were these funds utilised?

The funds generated from conducting the exam for migrants were allocated to various projects aimed at promoting the Russian language and culture. Let me highlight some of the key areas where these funds were directed.

First of all, we established the St Petersburg University Online School. This unique educational initiative, launched in 2018, enables Russian-speaking school students living abroad to study subjects from the Russian school curriculum free of charge, under the guidance of leading lecturers from St Petersburg University.

In 2018, the project commenced with 70 school students from Latvia and only three subjects from the Russian high school curriculum for grades 10 and 11. Since then, the project has expanded considerably, with both annual enrolment and demand steadily increasing year after year. Student numbers have surged more than 25-fold in five years. In the 2022/2023 academic year, a comprehensive online school was launched, covering all 40 subjects for students in grades 1-11. This expansion led to engaging 40 lecturers and 12 administrative staff from St Petersburg University. The project’s infrastructure has also grown, now including: a dedicated website for participant convenience; a specialised platform for video lectures; and facilities at the St Petersburg University Research Park.

Since 2023, the St Petersburg University Online School project has been operating in two formats. The first format focuses on the in-depth study of certain academic subjects. The second is a complete cycle of the study programme, with a state certificate upon completion.

The first format of the St Petersburg University Online School offers foreign citizens and school-age compatriots living abroad the opportunity to engage in distance learning, free of charge (at the expense of extra-budgetary funds of the University), focusing on individual subjects within the Russian secondary school curriculum.

The second format offers a comprehensive secondary educational cycle, covering all 40 academic subjects from the Russian school curriculum. Launched in 2023, it provides lower secondary education (grades 5-9) and higher secondary education (grade 10) for foreign citizens, stateless persons, and Russian citizens living abroad.

Since 1 September 2023, the academic programmes of the complete-cycle format have been delivered using e-learning and distance education technologies.

Upon successfully completing the study programme, students will be awarded a Russian school certificate. Almost 300 school students from 44 countries applied for admission to St Petersburg University to study in these academic programmes (120 places with a competition ratio of 2.5 applicants per place). Among those enrolled were 120 students from 30 countries.

This year, our inaugural class of ninth-graders received their Certificates of Basic General Education.

Thus, Russian-speaking school students living in countries where, due to various reasons, including political restrictions, Russian-language schools are being closed, have been able to continue their education in accordance with Russian educational standards, upholding Russian national values and educational traditions.

Both formats of the St Petersburg University Online School project were initially financed entirely by revenues generated from the Russian language exam for migrants and now from other extra-budgetary funds of the University.

Second, we offer distance learning courses in Russian as a foreign language for foreign nationals living abroad. Currently, St Petersburg University conducts these courses in Greece, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mongolia, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. These courses are free of charge for all learners. From 2020 to 2022, over 2,700 foreigners joined these courses, with African students comprising approximately 60 percent of the total enrolment.

Upon completing the study programme, participants take the state test in Russian as a foreign language at no cost as their final attestation. At present, the total number of learners exceeds 2,000.

Third, we hold the St Petersburg University Olympiads in Russian as a foreign language for non-Russian speakers, at both national and international levels. Since 2018, the University has been organising these Olympiads annually. Over the course of five years, over 27,000 foreign nationals from 150 countries around the world have participated in these events.

The events are conducted in both in-person and online formats. The International Online Olympiad in Russian as a Foreign Language, organised by St Petersburg University, stands as the largest competition in this field. It has been supported by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.

In 2022, the 3^rd St Petersburg University International Online Olympiad in Russian as a Foreign Language drew more than 5,000 international participants from 132 countries.

Moreover, it is worth mentioning that in 2021, the University organised the St Petersburg University National Online Olympiad in Russian as a Foreign Language in the USA, attracting 155 students from 34 American universities.

Fourth, we have been producing thematic textbooks in Russian as a foreign language. Previously, there used to be only two major publishing houses in Russia that consistently published books in this field: "Zlatoust’ and ‘Russky Yazyk. Kursy."

It is also important to stress that there is significant demand for quality teaching materials for teachers and learners of Russian as a foreign language. In response to this high demand, since August 2021, the St Petersburg University Publishing House has been producing textbooks as part of the "I Learn Russian" series. The series comprises: textbooks for students at levels B1 and B2 (CEFR); textbooks in Russian as a foreign language for beginners designed specifically for speakers of Arabic and Dari; and children’s books — a series of adapted fairy tales aimed at developing reading skills.

To date, experts from St Petersburg University have developed four books of practice tests for the Test of Russian as a Foreign Language (TORFL), which have been published by Zlatoust Publishing House under the University’s license. There are plans to release a series of practice tests for all levels of the TORFL, ranging from A1 to C2.

It is also important to highlight our efforts to promote these books and integrate them into the academic programmes of CIS countries, particularly in Uzbekistan. For instance, the series of graded readers for children not only offers high-quality reading material adapted for young learners, but also enables teaching Russian using the author’s game-based teaching method. Events to familiarise teachers with the series and to facilitate its incorporation into academic programmes are regularly conducted at St Petersburg University.

St Petersburg University is actively promoting books adapted for children and has donated approximately 1,000 of these books to Syria, Uzbekistan, and Iran.

Fifth, we hold the University’s educational and cultural events for students and teachers worldwide. On a regular basis, St Petersburg University staff host informational events for various audiences, addressing topical issues in the field of Russian as a foreign language. For instance, within the framework of almost every TORFL exam session, the University employees conduct in-person and distance learning events to help participants prepare for the exam. Since 2018, in-person information seminars and series of workshops for teachers have been held in: Belarus; Slovakia; Montenegro; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Serbia; Denmark; Japan; Great Britain; Finland; the Czech Republic; Italy; Spain; Greece; Brazil; Argentina; Kazakhstan; Uzbekistan; Kyrgyzstan; Azerbaijan; Armenia; and many other countries.

During the pandemic and the subsequent shift to digital means of communication, this area of our work was scaled up and transferred to an online format. Currently, we organise both webinars and seminars for foreign nationals to introduce them to Russia, different aspects of life in our country, our culture and language. To date, we have hosted over 200 webinars, drawing an audience of around 70,000 people.

Concurrently, over the period between 2020 and 2022, St Petersburg University launched five online courses on both domestic and international open educational platforms. These include a course on Business Russian tailored for the Chinese audience and four courses designed to prepare learners for the TORFL exam. These products are unique and have garnered significant demand among learners.

Additionally, it is worth noting that from 2021 to 2023, a remote history course was conducted in Greece, focusing on the shared historical chapters of our countries. Plans are underway to offer similar courses for Russian language learners in the Czech Republic, Serbia, and Latvia.

Sixth, we undertook renovation work to enhance the material and technical infrastructure of St Petersburg University for the education and accommodation of our foreign students. Notably, funds received from the exam for migrants were invested in renovating and upgrading the classrooms of the Language Testing Centre. This includes eight classrooms, among them the conference room at the Faculty of Philology, which also serves as a venue for events organised by the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language and Methods of Its Teaching.

We carried out renovations of the classrooms of the Preparatory Department for foreign nationals in Peterhof. Additionally, the halls of residence were refurbished to accommodate foreign students of the Preparatory Department, providing 130 places.

Thus, we directed the revenue generated from the exam for migrants towards initiatives that promote the Russian language, education, and culture.

Indeed, we continue to pursue all these activities, now utilising other extra-budgetary funds of the University, as we no longer conduct the exam.

Does the online preparatory course for migrants, developed at St Petersburg University, include everything test-takers need to know to prepare for the exam?

In collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, we have developed a free Russian language training programme titled "Russian for Life and Work!" This course enables students to study in accordance with the established standards and includes learning materials that support self-study. Meanwhile, we are continuously enhancing the programme to maximise the effectiveness of the language training.

We are engaged in creating new academic programmes, including English language courses. Our aim is to provide quality support to migrants seeking to improve their language skills.

The initiative to develop an online Russian language course for migrants aligns with our efforts to promote the Russian language, particularly among labour migrants who often have limited Russian language proficiency.

Does the University plan to resume conducting the Russian Language exam for migrants? Will we be included in the new list of organisations authorised to assess the Russian language proficiency of migrants? What are the plans for updating the examination content and training materials, and what will be required to accomplish this? How will the University’s experts be involved in this process?

First and foremost, we are expecting a significant change in the exam content, as I have already mentioned. The exam should serve as a genuine tool for assessing Russian language skills. How can one evaluate a person’s speaking skills if the exam lacks speaking tasks — in other words, if it does not assess speaking skills at all? This would be akin to removing the driving component from a driving licence exam.

Ideally, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive and qualitative analysis of existing examination and teaching materials, including those previously developed by universities with extensive experience in testing Russian as a foreign language. This analysis will enable the experts to make the necessary adjustments to the exam content, such as adding speaking tasks. All this requires substantial expert work.

St Petersburg University, as one of the pioneers in testing Russian as a foreign language, possesses a solid methodological foundation and extensive experience that will be valuable in this endeavour. It is essential that testing should be conducted by experts with the appropriate level of knowledge and expertise in the area, and we are ready to contribute to this activity.

We believe that legislative initiatives to upgrade the exam are steps in the right direction. Once the exam has been substantially modified and upgraded, we will be able to resume our work and actively engage in administering it.