Especialistas extranjeros obtienen privilegios en Rusia

May 12 of this year, State Duma issued a series of amendments to the Law on “Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in Russia”. These amendments are aimed to improve the mechanism of labor migration and facilitate entry into Russia of valuable professionals, – states news agency Interfax.

Under the new rules, migrants will be divided into several categories. For those who come to work on construction sites or as experts in the companies, everything will remain the same. The amendments relate to, firstly, domestic staff and, secondly, to major professionals, primarily in high-tech industries.

Thus, coming to work as nanny or a cook (as stated in the amendment “for personal, family needs, not connected with business”), people would buy a special patent. It will cost 1,000 rubles a month – so the State will actually collect the tax on incomes of individual persons. However, a year later the patent must be re-issued with the presentation of all required documents.

Major specialists in the field of innovative technologies and other areas of priority for Russia, will form a special group. First of all, the law on quotas will not concern them. That is for the employer the

invitation of a foreigner in Russia ceased to be a painful procedure. You do not need to prove the need of this person for migration officials, and then have to wait, if he receives a quota. It will be sufficient for the specialist to obtain a permit that will take only 14 days.

A work permit for such professionals will be issued for three years with possible extension to five years. In addition, his family will be able to get a residence permit in Russia. Moreover, he will pay taxes like any other Russian citizen – personal income tax of 13% (instead of 30%, as earlier).

As noted the president of the Federal Migration Service Konstantin Romodanovsky at the meeting on the creation of attractive conditions for foreign experts, foreign experts could “almost be equal to citizens of the Russian Federation, except for service in the Armed Forces and the right to vote.”

The status of the migrant will be determined by the size of his income. One would have to earn no less than five and a half thousand dollars a month to benefit the facilitation of the rules. Besides this sum will be regularly reviewed.

As noted Mr. Romodanovsky, the law comes into force from July 1.