Work Permits for Foreign Citizens

Foreign citizens have the right to work in Russia legally by issuing a work permit or a patent. Failure to comply with the law leads to large fines for the company, and a foreign worker can be deported.

A work permit for foreign citizens is a document that confirms the right to work in Russia. It is a small plastic card with a unique number, which contains personal data. Since April 2016, work permits are issued by the Main Department of Internal Affairs.

Conditions for obtaining a work permit

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Before obtaining a work permit in the Russian Federation, a foreign citizen must find an employer and agree on the employment terms. This stage is not to be skipped, since the documents must be drawn up on behalf of the company. The employer does not have the right to require a foreign applicant to already have a valid work permit.

A work permit for foreigners is issued to those who are employed by a legal entity or individual entrepreneur. The document is strictly tied to the company-employer and to a specific region.

All citizens of visa and visa-free states should get work permits when registering as highly qualified specialists. For the citizens of visa-free countries, with the exception of highly qualified specialists, instead of this document they will need to issue a patent. Citizens of Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan have the right to work freely in Russia without special permits.

The conditions for obtaining a work permit in Russia for highly qualified specialists, quota and above quota workers differ. Travelmart helps highly qualified specialists to obtain their work permits, as well as register for quota and above quota positions. We take over the entire process: prepare the documents, submit them to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and pick up work permits for above quota workers or accompany highly qualified specialists, who are required by law to pick up their permits personally.

Sample of a work permit

Sample of a work permit for a foreigner (front side)

Work permit in the Russian Federation for foreigners (back side)

How to issue a work permit for highly qualified specialists

The employment procedure for highly qualified specialists with a salary of over 2 million rubles a year (167,000 rubles a month) is simplified. Upon agreement with the employing company, you can immediately submit your documents for a work permit to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Read more about employing highly qualified specialists: «Work permits for highly qualified specialists »

How to apply for a work permit for quota and above quota positions

The process of applying for a job in Russia for quota and above quota positions is longer and more complex. It consists of several stages:

Stage 1.

• For above quota positions: submit an application from the employer to the Employment Centre about a vacancy. Read more here: «Filing an application for a vacancy at the Employment Centre» .
• For quota positions: apply for a quota to the Department of Labour and Employment. After receiving the quota, apply to the Employment Centre for a vacancy in the organization. Read more here: “ Obtaining quotas for employment of foreign citizens ” .

Stage 2

Submit the documents to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to receive the permission to employ foreign labour. Read more here: «Permission to attract foreign labor».

Stage 3

Submit the documents to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for a work permit for foreign citizens. If a foreigner comes from a country with a high risk of immigration or a dangerous country, the general director should come to a meeting with the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. They will be accompanied by a Travelmart representative.

Stage 4.

If a company-employer applies to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to issue an invitation for a foreign citizen for the first time, it must be accredited as an inviting organization. Read more here: «Registration of the company in the Ministry of Internal Affairs».

Stage 5

After the work permit paperwork is accepted, we draw up an invitation for a single entry 3-month work visa. If a person is already working on a work visa and the employer has not changed, you can skip this step and extend the visa on the based on the new work permit. For details, see the “Work invitations to Russia” section.

Stage 6.

Extend your work visa with the work permit. In the case of a first time registration, a single entry 3-month visa will be extended to a multiple entry 1-year visa. When an individual previously had such a visa, it will be extended for a new period. Read more here: «Extension of a work visa».

Additional Information

• To get a work permit, an application, copies of the foreigner’s documents, copies of the company's constituent documents, a medical certificate, a certificate of passing the Russian language, history and law tests, and a receipt of state fee payment are required. For a complete list of documents with sample photographs, see «Documents for a work permit».
• Documents must be submitted to the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or its regional bodies. A permit to work in Moscow is issued by the Sakharov Migration Centre. Read more about obtaining a work permit: «The procedure for issuing work permits».
• Work permits for highly qualified specialists are issued for a period of up to 3 years, for everyone else – no more than 1 year. Registration takes 14 business days. More information about that: «Validity and issuing of work permits».
• The price of obtaining a work permit for foreign workers with the help of Travelmart depends on the number of foreign citizens, employee category, and company’s registration address. Additionally, you need to pay the state duty. Read more about the costs here: «state duty and the price of a work permit».
• If a foreigner is already working in Russia and has a valid work permit, it can be extended. Read more about this procedure : “ Extension of a work permit” .
• If you prepared your documents incorrectly, the Ministry of Internal Affairs may refuse to issue a permit. In addition, the current work permit may be cancelled if the Ministry of Internal Affairs reveals violations. Travelmart will help you to avoid mistakes and violations. Read more: “ Refusals and Cancellation of a Work Permit ” .