Types of Russia work visas

There are three different categories of foreign workers in Russia, each of which has different requirements to work within the Russian Federation.

1. Highly qualified specialists (HQSs) must earn more than  ₽2 million (Russian rubles; RUB) per year. HQSs may hold any job position. They do not require a Russia work permit to obtain a work visa.
2. Above-quota employees earn less than ₽2 million per year. They can hold any of the job positions that are included in the Russian list of above-quota employees; this list changes annually.
3. Quota employees earn less than ₽2 million per year. They hold job positions that are not included in the list of above-quota employees. For your company to employ them, you must receive a quota from the Russian government.

For organizations handling employee relocation to Russia or hiring in Russia, here are the different types of work visas and permits in Russia.

Work visa

Strict laws govern the process of obtaining a Russia work visa. Any foreign citizen wishing to work in Russia must apply for a work visa. The exception to this rule applies only to citizens of countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which include:

• Moldova
• Armenia
• Tajikistan
• Kazakhstan
• Uzbekistan
• Azerbaijan
• Turkmenistan
• Belarus
• Kyrgyzstan
• Ukraine

Citizens of CIS countries have the right to work in the Russian Federation on patent, which means they can work for legal entities, individuals, and individual entrepreneurs.

Citizens of other foreign countries must obtain both a Russia work permit and a work visa, which enables them to work, get paid, and live in Russia as long as the permit is valid. Obtaining a work visa in Russia can be a time-consuming, complicated process that requires advance preparation. The government of Russia has an annual quota of foreign nationals who are allowed to work in their country.

Business visa

An individual may choose to obtain a business visa under the following circumstances:

• The purpose of their trip is business, such as negotiations, conferences, and meetings.
• The individual is a foreign specialist who was invited as a consulting expert for installing or maintaining equipment installed within Russia.
• The individual is a foreign citizen who already possesses a business visa and wants to bring their family members to Russia.

To obtain a business visa, an individual must possess a business invitation, which is a document offering the individual to work at a company with a legal business entity in Russia.

Highly skilled migrant visa

HQSs who earn a yearly salary of at least ₽2 million are eligible to apply for a three-year work permit in Russia. This application can be fast-tracked. With the highly skilled migrant visa, the employee can also bring their family members to Russia to apply for visas.

Some countries offer specific visas for foreign remote workers; Russia is not among these.

Russia visa and permit requirements

As the employer, you must obtain any necessary work permit on your employee's behalf. To do so, you must be sure to fulfill the appropriate Russia visa requirements.

When you apply for a work permit at your local Russian consulate or Directorate of Migratory Affairs (GUVM) office, you must provide the following documents for your employee:

• A valid passport or other valid ID
• A color passport photo
• Copies of all necessary qualification certificates
• A receipt showing that all necessary fees were paid
• A medical certificate proving your employee does not carry tuberculosis, leprosy, or HIV/AIDS

Upon delivery of your employee's Russia work permit, they will also receive an invitation to apply for a work visa. With their application, the employee will need to provide:

• Their passport
• A passport photo
• Their letter of invitation
• Proof of insurance
• A letter from you as their employer, containing contract dates, details of the job, and specifying the location where the work will be performed
• A medical certificate proving they do not carry tuberculosis, leprosy, or HIV/AIDS
• Payment for all necessary fees

The following foreign nationals are exempt from the requirement to hold a Russian work visa to perform work within the country:

• Foreign nationals who already hold a temporary resident permit or a permanent resident permit
• Journalists who are duly accredited in Russia
• Employees of Russian consular institutions abroad
• Employees on diplomatic missions
• Anyone invited to lecture or teach in Russia at educational institutes accredited by the state
• Foreign employees who travel to Russia to participate in the installation of equipment or the repair or servicing of installed equipment
• Students who hold a Russian Student visa and wish to work at their educational institute during their free time, or during school holidays

How to apply for Russia visas and permits

As an employer with a legal business entity in Russia, you must initiate the first step in the process of obtaining a Russia work permit and a visa for your employee. If you are not hiring an HQS or above-quota employee, you must first be approved to hire an employee within the Russian Department of Labor and Employment's annual quota for hiring foreign employees.

To apply for a work permit on behalf of your employee:

1. Apply to the Russian Government Employment Service for a job quota for your foreign employee. The number of quotas issued is strictly limited, and the Russian government distributes them by profession and by region. There is no guarantee that your application will be approved. (Note: This step does not apply in the case of HQSs or above-quota employees.)
2. Submit your company's registration information.
3. Obtain a certificate of tax registration for your company.
4. Apply to the GUVM for your employee's work permit.
5. Upon receipt of the employee's approved work permit, issue an invitation to your employee to work for your Russian business entity.

When the company has fulfilled its obligations, the employee should follow these steps:

1. Fill out the appropriate visa application on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Consular department.
2. Collect the required documentation, which can vary depending on the type of visa your employee is seeking.
3. Submit all required documentation at their nearest Russian consulate office.
4. Pay all remaining necessary fees, which the Russian government calculates based on the size of the employee's home country.
5. Wait for the visa application to be processed.

Work visas are valid for three months when issued. After the three-month period expires, as long as the employee has a valid work permit, you as the employer can apply to extend their work visa into a multiple-entry visa.

Note: Currently, the Russian government is not issuing unified e-visas.

Application processing time

There is a significant amount of waiting time for each step in the work permit and visa process. Thus, your company should plan its international expansion into Russia ahead of time.

The general time frames involved with each step of the process include:

• 25 days for consideration of the employer's quota application or 30 days for the processing of the employer's application to employ a foreign employee above quota
• 30 days for an HQS to receive a work invitation
• 12 working days for a quota employee or an above-quota employee to receive a single-entry work visa invitation
• 14 days for the employee to receive their plastic work permit
• 20 days for the processing of the visa application
• 20 working days after applying to extend a single-entry work visa into a multiple-entry work visa

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Frequently Asked Questions

How can I get a work permit in Russia?

The employer must initiate the process of applying for a work permit on behalf of your employee. You can do this by applying for your employee’s work permit at your local Russian consulate or GUVM office, where you must provide the necessary documents for your employee.

Can you work in Russia as a foreigner?

Foreign nationals may perform work in Russia with the proper authorization. Citizens of CIS countries are the exception to the rule and do not require a work visa. Instead, CIS nationals have the right to work in the Russian Federation on a patent.

Citizens of other foreign countries are required to obtain a Russia work permit and work visa before performing any work in Russia.

How long does it take to get a work permit in Russia?

Obtaining a Russian work permit can be a lengthy process, taking several months in many cases. The general time frames involved in obtaining a Russia work permit and work visa include

• 25 days for consideration of the employer's quota application or 30 days for the processing of the employer's application to employ a foreign employee above quota
• 30 days for an HQS to receive a work invitation
• 12 working days for a quota employee or an above-quota employee to receive a single-entry work visa invitation
• 14 days for the employee to receive their plastic work permit
• 20 days for the processing of the visa application
• 20 working days after applying to extend a single-entry work visa into a multiple-entry work visa

How much is a work permit in Russia?

Applying for a Russia work permit and work visa can be quite costly. In general, the Russian government calculates the required fees for each applicant based on the size of their home country.

Is it hard to get a Russian work visa?

The process of applying for a Russian work visa can be complicated, costly, time-consuming, and frustrating, and there is no guarantee that the Russian government will approve your application. The Russian government issues quotas on an annual basis for the number of foreign employees allowed to work in the Russian Federation. Russia visa requirements are extensive and there are many rules and steps to follow for the best chance of approval. We highly recommend reviewing this article for more information.