New rules of psychiatric examination: what will change for employees in 2026
Starting from March 1, 2026, changes to the procedure for psychiatric examinations of employees will come into force in Russia, which will have an impact on the process of mandatory medical examinations. The changes introduced by the Ministry of Health will affect employees of certain specialties associated with increased danger or responsibility. What changes are coming into force and what is important for employers and employees to know — in the Izvestia article.
Mandatory psychiatric examination: what will change in 2026
According to the order of the Ministry of Health, from March 1, 2026, psychiatric examinations for employees will be conducted only if signs of a mental disorder were detected during a mandatory periodic medical examination. This eliminates the need to send employees for examination when applying for a job and in other cases if no mental disorders have been detected.
The psychiatrist of the network of medical centers "Polyclinic.Roman Ustinov noted that these changes are primarily of a technical nature.
— The changes primarily relate to document management and logistics improvements during the inspection process. Starting in 2026, the process itself will be simplified — now in most cases it will not be necessary to send employees for examination when applying for a job or in other cases when there are no signs of a disorder. This will help to avoid unnecessary checks," he stressed.
The updated rules for psychiatric examination by employees state that starting in 2026, it will be the commission of psychiatrists that will conduct the examination. Now the documents use a more general wording — "medical commission".
The approach to identifying problems during other medical examinations is also changing. Now, if signs of a possible mental disorder are noticed both during the preliminary (when applying for a job) and during a periodic medical examination, the employee will be referred to a psychiatrist. From March 2026, only the results of a scheduled periodic inspection will be such an occasion, the expert added.
Signs of mental disorders and the role of the employer
Until now, employees could be referred for psychiatric evaluation during both preliminary and periodic medical examinations. However, starting in March 2026, a mandatory referral for an examination will be possible only based on the results of a routine inspection. The employer, as before, is obliged to send an employee for an examination if signs of a mental disorder were noticed during the examination.
— Doctors continue to follow international standards, in particular, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), which is the basis for diagnosis in Russia and in many countries around the world. Signs of mental disorders such as psychopathy, depression, schizophrenia, age—related dementia, alcoholism, drug addiction and a number of other diseases can be detected during the examination process and will become the basis for referring an employee for psychiatric examination," explained Roman Ustinov.
Employees of law enforcement agencies and special services will continue to be examined according to special rules corresponding to their special status.
Exceptions for employees with access to State secrets
Special attention will also be paid to employees working with state secrets. From March 1, 2026, a separate psychiatric examination procedure will be in effect for them. Employees with access to state secrets will not undergo psychiatric examinations according to general rules, and their examinations will be carried out by special order.
— Such employees will continue to undergo a commission under another order. For them, the conditions of the OOP have always been stricter than for other categories of employees," the psychiatrist explained.
The impact of changes on employees and employers
Experts emphasize that the innovations will reduce the number of mandatory examinations, which previously could have been perceived as unnecessary. For most employees, psychiatric examinations will now be conducted only if signs of a mental disorder are detected during a periodic medical examination. This will make the process easier for both employers and employees.
At the same time, it is important to emphasize that the changes do not reduce the requirements for the mental health of employees, but, on the contrary, make it possible to more accurately identify cases when an examination is required. With the introduction of new rules for psychiatric examinations, employees will be able to avoid unnecessary checks if there are no signs of mental illness, which will have a positive impact on the convenience and accessibility of the process. At the same time, for those employees for whom mental health is critically important, the new rules will ensure more accurate and transparent disease detection.
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