Work permit for highly qulified specialists (HQS)
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8 800 222 7762 Free calls in Russia
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mail@confidencegroup.ru

The address
107023, Moscow, Barabanniy per. 4, office 4
Working hours
Mon. – Fr.: 9:00 - 18:00
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    Конфиденс Групп
    +7 495 748 7762Tel./fax
    8 800 222 7762 Free calls in Russia
    Request a call
    Email
    mail@confidencegroup.ru

    The address
    107023, Moscow, Barabanniy per. 4, office 4
    Working hours
    Mon. – Fr.: 9:00 - 18:00
    Ask a question
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    • 107023, Moscow, Barabanniy per. 4, office 4
    • mail@confidencegroup.ru

    • Mon. – Fr.: 9:00 - 18:00
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    Work permit for highly qulified specialists (HQS)

    Main
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    Information agency
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    Articles
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    Миграционные услуги. Статьи
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    Высококвалифицированные специалисты. Статьи
    —Разрешение на работу для ВКС (высококвалифицированных специалистов)
    Immigration services/Highly qualified specialists
    3 February 2025

    Confidence Group is pleased to present the detailed overview of the procedure for obtaining a work permit for a highly qualified specialist (HQS)

    CONTENT
    1. Who is a highly qualified specialist (HQS)?
    2. Who has the right to attract HQS?
    3. Should the organization have a quota for attracting foreign citizens when applying for a work permit for a HQS?
    4. Validity of the HQS work permit and HQS visa
    5. Validity of permits for early termination of an employment/civil contract with the HQS
    6. The territory of validity of the HQS work permit
    7. Does a highly qualified specialist have to prove his knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history, and the basics of Russian legislation when obtaining a work permit?
    8. Does a highly qualified employee need to have a medical examination to obtain a work permit?
    9. Is it possible to obtain a work permit for a highly qualified specialist in the context of a coronavirus pandemic?
    10. Where should an employer apply for a work permit for a highly qualified specialist?
    11. Term for issuing a work permit for a highly qualified specialist
    12. Working hours of the Migration center in Moscow (MMC in Sakharovo)
    13. How to get to the Migration center in Moscow (MMC in Sakharovo)
    14. Pre-registration for submitting documents for a work permit for the HQS in the Migration center in Moscow (MMC in Sakharovo)
    15. The procedure for issuing a working invitation for the visa countries citizens.
    16. Obtaining a HQS work visa on the territory of the Russian Federation
    17. Services of Confidenсe Group 
    18. Documents required for a work permit for a HQS
    19. The basic requirements for the employment contract with HQS
    20. Basis for concluding fixed-term employment contracts with HQS
    21. HQS as a part-time position
    22. Voluntary health insurance of highly qualified specialists and their family members
    23. Registration of TIN for highly qualified specialists
    24. Insurance number of an individual personal account for foreign citizens
    25. Features of filing documents for work permits of the highly qualified specialists from the CIS countries, as well as migratory-dangerous countries 
    26. Refusal of issuance a work permit or a work invitation for entering the Russian Federation for a HQS. Cancellation of permission for work of HQS
    27. Restrictions on hiring foreign workers as HQS
    28. Who does not need to get HQS work permits?
    29. Obtaining a residence permit by highly qualified specialists (hereinafter HQS), as well as members of their families
    30. Maternity leave and other breaks in the work of the HQS
    31. Features of migration registration of a highly qualified specialist and accompanying family members
    32. Features of the suspension and termination of labor contract with a foreign employee HQS
    33. Obligations of the employer
    34. Obligations of HQS 
    35. Loss of work permit or its damage. Issue of work permit duplicate
    36. Peculiarities of the regulation of foreign citizens’ labor activity on the basis of a work permit
    37. Responsibility of foreign citizen and employer
    38. Family members of HQS

    Confidence Group Company offers you to familiarize yourself with a detailed overview of the procedure for obtaining a work permit for a HQS (highly qualified specialist).

     You can also read the following articles related to the entry, stay and operation of HQS (highly qualified specialists) in Russia:
    • Standard work permit vs HQS work permit
    • HQS vs work permit within intergovernmental agreements with French Republic and Republic of Korea
    • Peculiarities of the labor and civil contracts with highly qualified specialists
    • Residence permit in Russia for Highly Qualified Specialists
    • The overview of the contributions to state funds of Russia by foreign citizens
    • Peculiarities of termination of labor relations with foreign workers, including certain types of activities
    • Notifications for foreign citizens

    Who is a highly qualified specialist (HQS)?

    A highly qualified specialist (Article 13.2, Federal Law 115) is a foreign citizen with working experience, skills or achievements in a particular field of work, who receives wages (compensation) for his involvement in labor activity in the Russian Federation:

    Условие привлечения ВКС (высококвалифицированного иностранного специалиста)

    Размер заработной платы за календарный месяц

    • Other foreign citizens (the most frequently used option)
    • not less than 167 000 roubles
    • Highly qualified foreign specialists who are researchers or teachers, if they are invited to engage in research or teaching activities, according to state-accredited educational programs by educational organizations of higher education; 
    • Highly qualified foreign specialists engaged in labor activity by residents of industrial production, tourist-recreational and port special economic zones;
    • Highly qualified foreign specialists engaged in labor activities by organizations engaged in the field of information technology and received the appropriate document on state accreditation of organizations engaged in the field of information technology (except for organizations that have the status of a resident of a technical and implementation special economic zone) 
    • not less than 83500 roubles
    • Highly qualified foreign specialists engaged in labor activity by residents of the technical and innovative special economic zone (with the exception of individual entrepreneurs).
    • not less than 58500 roubles
    • Highly qualified foreign specialists, attracted to work by legal entities operating in Crimea and Sevastopol.
    • not less than 83500 roubles
    • Highly qualified foreign specialists who are medical, pedagogical or scientific workers, if they are invited to engage in relevant activities on the territory of the international medical cluster
    • not less than 83334 rubles
    • Highly qualified foreign specialists participating in the implementation of the SKOLKOVO project, as well as foreign citizens participating in the implementation of the project for the creation and operation of an innovative scientific and technological center
    • notwithstanding salary requirements.

    The employer himself (independently) estimates the competence and skill level of foreign citizens, whom he wants to attract as highly qualified specialists. For such purposes, the employer or the customer (of works or services) uses:

    • documents and data confirming that this specialist has all the required professional knowledge and skills;
    • information on the results of the work as a highly qualified foreign specialist with reviews of other employers and customers (including foreign employers and customers);
    • the information provided by professional organizations engaged in evaluation and recruitment;
    • information on the results of intellectual activity, the author or co-author of which is a highly qualified foreign specialist;
    • information on professional awards and other forms of recognition of professional achievements;
    • information on the results of work (services) conducted by the employer or customer;
    • other objective, reliable and verifiable documents and information.

    Who has the right to attract highly qualified foreign specialists?

    Highly qualified foreign specialists (HQS) can be attracted by:

    • Russian commercial organizations;
    • Branches of foreign legal entities, accredited in accordance with the established procedure on the territory of the Russian Federation;
    • Russian scientific organizations, educational institutions of professional education (with the exception of institutions of professional religious education (spiritual educational institutions));
    • Health care institutions, as well as other organizations engaged in scientific, scientific-technical and innovative activities, experimental development, testing, and training of personnel in accordance with state priority areas for the development of science and technology of the Russian Federation, if they have state accreditation.
    • Sports organizations carrying out their activity on the territory of the Russian Federation, Russian non-commercial organizations, as well as national sports federations in case of attraction of highly qualified specialists for the positions included in the list of positions of foreign citizens and individuals without citizenship employed as highly qualified specialists in the field of physical culture and sports physical culture and sports organizations and national sports federations.

    Should the organization have a quota for attracting foreign citizens when applying for a work permit for a HQS?

    The quota for issuing invitations to foreign citizens for entry into the Russian Federation for the purpose of work and the quota for the issuance of work permits to foreign citizens do not apply to highly qualified foreign specialists.

    Validity of the HQS work permit and HQS visa

    The HQS work permit is issued for the period of validity of the employment contract or civil contract concluded by him, but not for more than 3 years with the possibility of repeated extension.

    A HQS visa is issued for the same period as a work permit (up to 3 years) on the basis of an invitation for HQS issued in parallel with the process of obtaining a work permit.

    If a work permit is issued to a foreign employee who is already in the Russian Federation on the basis of a work visa, this visa can be extended for the period of the issued work permit.

    If the validity period of the HQS work permit or the validity period of the HQS visa expires between March 15 and December 15, 2020, then in accordance with the provisions of the Decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin "On measures to regulate the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in Russia due to the threat of COVID-19 distribution", the validity period of these documents is temporarily suspended. 

    Validity of permits for early termination of an employment / civil contract with the HQS

    • Within thirty working days from the date of early termination of the employment contract or civil contract for the performance of works (services), a highly qualified specialist has the right to search for another employer or customer of works (services) and obtain a new work permit for the HQS. During the specified period, a work permit issued to a highly qualified specialist, as well as a visa and residence permit issued to such a highly qualified specialist and his / her family members, are considered valid.
    • The validity of a work permit issued to a highly qualified specialist, as well as the validity of a visa and residence permit issued to such a highly qualified specialist and his family members, is extended for the period of consideration of the application submitted by the employer or customer of works (services) with which the highly qualified specialist has concluded a new employment / civil contract

    In case a highly qualified specialist has not concluded a new employment/civil contract on the expiry of the 30-day period or if the petition of the employer or customer of works (services) on attraction of a highly qualified specialist is rejected, issued such a highly qualified specialist work permit and visa and the residence permit issued to highly qualified specialist and his family members are valid for thirty working days, during which a highly qualified specialist and his / her family members are required to leave the Russian Federation in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.

    The territory of validity of the HQS work permit

    If, in accordance with an employment contract or a civil contract for the performance of works (services), it is assumed that a foreign HQS will work on the territories of two or more subjects of the Russian Federation, it is possible to issue a work permit valid on the territories of these subjects of the Russian Federation

    Does a highly qualified specialist have to prove his knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history, and the basics of Russian legislation when obtaining a work permit?

    Foreign citizens who are highly qualified specialists are exempt from confirming their Russian language proficiency, knowledge of Russian history and the basics of Russian legislation when applying for a work permit

    Does a highly qualified employee need to have a medical examination to obtain a work permit?

    When applying for a work permit of a highly qualified specialist, it is not required to provide medical certificates, however, HQS are not exempted from the obligation to have such certificates (otherwise the work permit may be canceled (according to clause 10, article 13.2 FL № 115).

    Is it possible to obtain a work permit for a highly qualified specialist in the context of a coronavirus pandemic?

    At the moment, it is possible to issue a work permit for a highly qualified specialist only for the following foreign citizens:

    • foreign citizens located on the territory of the Russian Federation;
    • HQS included to a special list, which must be sent to the Federal Security Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation by the Executive authority responsible for the employer/customer (according to the Government Order No. 1671-R of 25 June 2020). 

    The above mentioned wording “sent to the Federal Security Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation by the Executive authority responsible for the employer/customer” implies that the executive authorities should control the organization, and not its activities.

    In other words, the literal interpretation of the discussed part of the text of the upd ated Government Order suggests that the ability to arrange entry to Russia for their high qualified specialists appeared not to all employers or customers of services but only to organizations themselves (not their activities) subordinated to (controlled by) the Executive authorities of the Russian Federation.

    However, on the example of a similar wording of the government Order No. 635-R concerning persons entering for technical maintenance, it can be assumed that this detail will not be important, and employers and customers of services will be able to apply to the Executive authorities in charge of their activities in order to enter the cherished lists of their employees HQS.

    Please, kindly note, that in this case only a single entry to the Russian Federation is available, that is, if the HQS leaves the territory of Russian Federation after arriving in it, he will not be able to re-enter it. It is also important that entry is only available for HQS and this option does not apply to members of his family.

    For further entering HQS shall have:

    • identity document;
    • visa (for visa countries);
    • a valid employment contract or civil law contract for the performance of works (services) with the employer or customer of works (services).

    When making a new employment contract, please note that its entry into force will not be linked to obtaining a work permit, because you need a valid contract to enter. Entering into force of the contract before receiving the work permit may be seen as employment without permits and  fines can be up to 1 million rubles.

    Where should an employer apply for a work permit for a highly qualified specialist?

    The territorial bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia at the regional level are authorized to make a decision on issuing a work permit for HQS.

    If you plan to apply for a work permit in Moscow, you must apply for a work permit in the Multifunctional Migration center (MMC), which is located in New Moscow, near the village of Sakharovo (50 km from MKAD).

    You can read about the procedure for applying for documents in the Moscow region here.

    For more information about documents processing in other regions of the Russian Federation, please contact the consultants of Сonfidence Group.

    Term for issuing a work permit for a highly qualified specialist

    The total time for issuance of a work permit for a HQS is 14 working days from the moment of submission of documents. A foreign citizen can obtain a work permit only personally. Upon receipt, he/she may be accompanied by organization representatives and other authorized representatives.

    In addition, before a personal visit, it is better to make sure that the work permit is ready. Unfortunately, this can not be done by the phone. Therefore, organization representatives shall personally apply to the Multifunctional Migration Center in Sakharov village for information about the readiness of the work permit.

    Working hours of the Migration center in Moscow (MMC in Sakharovo)

    From 09.04.2020, the migration center will be open from 8:00 to 18:00. Every day, seven days a week.

    How to get to the Migration center in Moscow (MMC in Sakharovo)

    By public transport:

    By private car:

    By taxi:

    Bus MЦ1 from the metro station "Lesoparkovaya" to the Migration center from 6:35 to 18:17 daily

    On the Warsaw and Kaluga highway.

    Travel time from the Moscow ring road (MKAD) is about 40 minutes.

    Secure parking is available on site for private cars. Parking is designed for 550 cars.

    Parking hours: from 6:30 to 20:30

    The cost of one hour of parking is 50 rubles.

    For the disabled, parking is provided free of charge.

     

     

    Free Parking is available on the territory of the Migration center for taxis licensed in Moscow and the Moscow region.

    Parking hours: from 6:30 to 20:30

    How to stop at the parking lot: 

    You must drive to the entrance to the parking lot and stop in front of the barrier.

    Wait for the system to scan the vehicle number.

    If the taxi is listed in the database of officially registered taxis, then the entrance to the parking lot will be open.

    The time of free stay of taxi cars in the parking lot is not limited within the time of parking working hours.

     
     
    Pre-registration for submitting documents for a work permit for the HQS in the Migration center in Moscow (MMC in Sakharovo)
    At the moment representatives of the employer can apply for a work permit HQS without prior appointment. Read about the procedure for submitting documents for registration of the HQS in the Moscow region here.
    To find out the latest information of submitting documents in other regions of the Russian Federation, please contact the consultants of Confidence Group.
     
    The procedure for issuing a working invitation for the visa countries citizens.
    Documents for the working invitation are accepted only after the submission of documents for work permits (there must be an application with the original blue seal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs).
     
    If the employing organization has never applied for issuing invitations for foreign citizens, at the same time with the first se t of documents for issuing the invitation, documents for registering the employer organization as an inviting party should be submitted with the Main Directorate of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.
     
    Due to COVID restrictions, HQS shall be preliminary included to the list approved by the federal body of executive power of Russia sent to MVD and FSB. After the list is received by MVD, one can apply for invitation letter. Documents are submitted to the Main Directorate of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in regions of the Russian Federation (at the place of registration of the employer of the HQS). the Main Directorate of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow is located at: Moscow, Pokrovka, 42.
     
    An invitation to obtain a HQS work visa is issued for the term of the concluded labor or civil law contract for the performance of work (services), but for no more than three years.
     
    The term for issuing an invitation to obtain a HQS working visa is usually 14 working days.
     
    Since May 20, 2019, the Main Directorate of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow (Pokrovka, 42) has introduced new requirements for payment of state fees when issuing invitations for entry for foreign citizens: a payment order for each invited foreign citizen, indicating the name, must be provided in original, certified by the seal of the company, as the inviting party. Payment is made from the account of the inviting party. State fee paid by private individuals is not accepted. More details here.
     
    From October 1, 2019, in the State Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow, on the basis of an internal order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, documents are accepted for processing only electronic invitations for foreign citizens to enter Russia. Documents for issuing invitations on the forms of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will no longer be accepted.
     
    In addition, we draw attention to the fact that the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for Moscow (Pokrovka, 42) often calls the Heads of all organizations that first submit documents for issuing invitations to enter the Russian Federation for foreign citizens, for an interview with the Head of the invitations department, visas and migration registration of foreign citizens.
     
    You can find out more information about the issuing invitations for HQS in the Moscow region here.
     
    For more information about documents processing in other regions of the Russian Federation, please contact the consultants of Confidence Group.
     
    Obtaining a HQS work visa on the territory of the Russian Federation
     
    For foreign citizens who are on the territory of the Russian Federation on the basis of a work visa, an extension of this visa is available for the period of a new HQS work permit.  This action is carried out in the Department of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for the subject of migration registration of a foreign citizen, the foreign citizen or his representative must apply no later than 20 working days before the expiration of the existing visa.
     
    If the HQS visa expires between March 15 and June 15, 2020, then in accordance with the provisions of the Decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin "On measures to regulate the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in Russia due to the threat of COVID-19 distribution", the validity of such visas is temporarily suspended. 
     
    It is not currently possible to change the type of visa when obtaining work permits for the HQS.
     
    Services of the Confident Group company

    The Confidence Group company provides a full range of services related to the arrival, stay and work of highly qualified specialists in any region of the Russian Federation.

    In the table you can find the stages, terms, as well as the cost of services related to issuance of permits for highly qualified specialists.

    №

    Stage

    Deadline for registration

    (days)

    State duty

    (rub.)

    Cost

    (rub.)

    1

    Work permit

    15 – 17

    3500

    40000

    2

    Health insurance policy (1 year)

    2 – 3

    –

    6000*

    Health insurance policy (3 years)

    2 – 3

    –

    16000*

    3

    Invitation to receive a multiple work visa (for visa countries)

    12 – 14

    800

    10000

    4

    Multiple work visa valid for up to 3 years (receipt/ extension/modification)

    12 – 14

    1600

    12000

    2 – 3

    1600

    25000

    5

    Notification about the conclusion/termination of the employment contract, etc.

    1 – 2

    –

    5500**

    6

    Statement on migration registration (in the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Post of Russia)

    1 – 2

    –

    6000**

    7

    Statement on migration registration / extension of stay in the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

    2 – 3

    –

    8500

    8

    Tax accounting (receipt of TIN)

    7 – 10

    –

    8500

    9

    Notification of the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs about salary accounting

    1 – 2

    –

    5500**

    10

    Registration of the organization in the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

    5 – 7

    –

    15000

    11

    Making changes to the registration data in the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

    2 – 3

    –

    7500

    12

    Making changes to the work permit (change of passport, etc.)

    15 – 17

    –

    40000

    13

    Cancellation of work permit

    1 – 2

    –

    9000

    14

    Restoration of the migration card

    2 - 3

    -

    10000

    15

    Transit (exit) visa valid for up to 10 days


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    Working hours
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