Work permit

Work Permit  – is an official document, issued to foreign citizens who temporarily reside in Russia, which confirms their right to perform labour activities on the territory of Russian Federation.

In order to perform labour activities in Russia foreign citizen is obliged to have work visa and work permit as well as register with local Federal Migration Service office.

Currently there are two different work permit procedures in Russia:

Standard process

Standard process takes approximately 4 months and requires that  a company, hiring foreign national is granted with quota for engaging foreign labour for a respective year.

• Advertising of a vacancy, which is planned for a foreign citizen at the Labour Office for 30 days. During this period the Labour Office tries to find an adequate candidate on the national labour market.
• Corporate Work Permit – allowing employer to engage foreign labour;
• Personal Work Permit – allowing a specific foreigner to perform labour activities;
• Registration of Company with Federal Migration Service Office as organization sponsoring invitation letters for foreign citizens;
• Invitation Letter for 3 months 1 entry visa for a foreign citizen;
• Visa obtaining at the Russian consulate abroad on the basis of this invitation letter;
• Entry to Russia and visa extension for a maximum term of 1 year;
• Local Address Registration;
• Notifications to authorities with regards to hiring a foreign citizen;

Process for a highly qualified professionals

This procedure requires rigorous compliance with all requirements and deadlines, violation of which leads to irrevocable negative consequences for employer as well as for the highly qualified professional himself.

Difference from a standard process:

• Salary paid in Russia should be not less than 2 000 000 RUB gross per year;
• Processing time for a work permit does not exceed 14 business days for highly qualified professionals as well as for their family members;
• Local address registration is not required provided foreign citizen resides on the territory of Russian Federation less than 90 calendar days or less than 30 days when travelling from one Region of Russia to the other;
• Highly Qualified Professional should receive his work permit at the office of the Federal Migration Service in person;
• Employer should provide HQP and his accompanying family members with medical insurance for the whole period of his labour agreement;
• Each quarter to notify Federal Migration Service of salary paid to the highly qualified professional;