St. Petersburg police have uncovered a large-scale illegal migration operation behind the activities of the commercial organization Axioma, which was engaged in testing foreign citizens on their knowledge of the Russian language, laws and history of Russia. For a sum of about 15 thousand rubles, migrants received certificates confirming successful passing of the test, which was a critical step in obtaining a work patent or residence permit in Russia.

Law enforcement agencies discovered that Axiom employees, for a fee, took tests instead of foreigners, providing them with the necessary documents for legalization in the country. This scheme brought the organization up to 7,5 million rubles a year, which indicates a high demand for this type of service among visitors.

The situation attracted the attention of law enforcement agencies and today Axiom became the object of a search as part of investigative actions. As a result, the police brought in 30 residents of St. Petersburg suspected of participating in the organization of illegal migration. Those found guilty of participating in these activities face imprisonment.

This revelation raises questions about the scale of illegal migration in Russia and raises concerns about the reliability of legalization processes for foreign citizens. The authorities promise to tighten control over the procedures for obtaining documents necessary for legal stay and work in the country in order to prevent such schemes in the future.