1. General Employment Rules for Foreigners in Russia
Under the Russian Labor Code, foreign workers are subject to the same labor laws as Russian citizens, unless federal laws or international treaties stipulate otherwise.
Key Requirements:
- Age: Minimum 18 years.
- Employment Contract: Typically indefinite, but a fixed-term contract may be concluded under Article 59 of the Labor Code.
- When is a Fixed-Term Contract Used?
Mandatory Cases (employer must set a contract term):
- Replacing a temporarily absent employee (with job retention).
- Short-term work (up to 2 months).
- Seasonal work (due to natural/climatic conditions).
- Work abroad (business trips outside Russia).
- Project-based work (if the company is created for a specific project).
- Production expansion (temporary capacity increase for up to 1 year).
- Employment center referrals (temporary/public works).
Optional Cases (by mutual agreement):
- Small businesses (up to 35 employees; 20 in trade/services).
- Hiring retirees or individuals with temporary medical restrictions.
- Emergency response (accidents, disasters, epidemics).
- Work in the Far North (upon relocation).
- Executives, deputies, and chief accountants.
- Competitive hiring (for a specific position).
- Creative professions (actors, journalists, circus performers).
- Part-time work or full-time students.
- Non-profit organizations (up to 35 employees).
Important: Since 2022, fixed-term contracts also apply when transferring to another employer (under Government Decree No. 511 of March 30, 2022).
2. Medical Insurance for Foreign Workers
Who Must Have Private Health Insurance (DMS)?
- Temporarily staying foreigners (without residency/RVP permits).
- Highly Qualified Specialists (HQS).
Options for Medical Care in Russia:
- Voluntary Health Insurance.
- Paid services agreement with a clinic.
- Compulsory Health Insurance (CHI) – for EAEU citizens (temporary/permanent residents) and certain other foreigners (excluding HQS and their non-working family members), provided their employers have paid contributions to the Unified Social Fund for 3 years.
Important: If an HQS’s insurance or paid medical services agreement expires, the employer must suspend them from work.
3. How to Properly Draft an Employment Contract?
Required Information for Different Migrant Categories:
- Worker Category Mandatory Contract Details
- Temporarily staying Work permit/patent
- Temporarily residing (RVP) Temporary residence permit
- Permanently residing (RP) Residence permit
- HQS DMS policy/medical agreement details, work permit
4. Required Documents for Hiring Foreigners
For all foreign workers:
Proof of pension system registration (since April 1, 2019). If not previously registered, the employer must submit documents to the local Pension Fund office.
Additional Documents:
Work patent/permit (for temporarily staying workers, unless exempted by law/treaty).
RVP/RP permit (for temporary/permanent residents).
DMS policy (for HQS and temporarily staying foreigners ineligible for CHI).
Exception: EAEU citizens (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) do not need a work patent.
If a contract is required to obtain a work permit, the foreigner may present the permit after signing. In such cases, the contract takes effect only after the permit is issued.
5. Termination of Foreign Workers: Key Reasons
- When Must an Employer Terminate the Contract?
- Expiry of work patent/permit.
- End of RP/RVP validity.
- Termination of medical insurance/paid services agreement (for HQS).
Deadlines for Contract Termination:
- Grounds for Termination Deadline
- Suspension/cancellation of work permit for temporarily staying foreigners Upon occurrence
- Cancellation of work patent/permit Upon occurrence
- Cancellation of RVP/study-based RVP Upon occurrence
- Cancellation of residence permit Upon occurrence
- Expiry of work patent/permit Within 1 month
- Expiry of RVP/study-based RVP Within 1 month
- Expiry of residence permit Within 1 month
- Expiry of DMS/paid medical agreement (for HQS) Within 1 month
- Workforce reduction to comply with legal quotas By the deadline set by law
- Inability to reinstate original job after temporary transfer (due to emergencies) 3 days’ written notice
- Impossibility of temporary transfer (due to emergencies) 3 days’ written notice
Note: Termination due to permit cancellation entitles the worker to severance pay (two weeks’ average salary).
Resume
In 2025, regulations for foreign workers remain strict:
- Work patent/permit required (except EAEU citizens).
- Health insurance (DMS/CHI) or paid medical agreement mandatory.
- Employers must monitor document expiry dates.
- For further details, contact Confidence Group’s consultants.
For more information, please contact the consultants of the Confidence Group company.
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