A shift settlement, shift town, etc. is the category of urban-type inhabited localities in Russia, originated in the Soviet Union for short-term accommodation of workers who work in shifts at sites in remote areas, e.g., for mining, fishing, road construction, etc. They are also used for the maintenance of vehicles and fuel storage. They differ from another type of settlements, "workers' settlement", in that the latter ones are for permanent residence. Over time, shift settlements may be abandoned or converted into worker's settlements.