Jobs in Russia — that's what we're talking about today. Now, if you’re in this news right now and that’s what you want to learn about, that’s why you clicked this news. 

I've gathered, in this news, a legal immigration adviser, and I also gathered a friend who's actually already in the Russian workforce. I'm trying to make this news as complete as possible by giving you a professional’s point of view who's dealing with immigration and also someone who's already in the Russian workforce so that they can give you their experience. But I'm also going to give you examples outside, in the real world, in a small Siberian town, so that you can see that these things these men are talking about actually exist in the outside world.

Please do remember that coming to Russia to work is like moving to any other country, right? You have to follow the rules, you have to have the right paperwork, and since I'm guessing that English is your native language — English, Spanish, or German — you obviously will have to learn some type of Russian for some jobs. Okay, I don’t want you to think that you can just come here and have the best job just because you qualify. You need to go through the process. You need to follow the rules. You need to have the right paperwork.

So let’s get into the first news with the immigration adviser. Maksim, can you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what you do before we actually get into the questions?

Hi, then. Thanks for inviting me. Yes, my name is Maksim. I am an immigration lawyer. I have my law firm in Moscow from 2003, specializing mainly in the immigration field. And also, as of June 2024, I work as a deputy director in the regional immigration agency in N Noat. This is the capital of the Narat region in the Russian Federation, where the governor and the local government have been the first region to openly say they would like to welcome Westerners to move to our region. So, as of June this year, I'm deputy director in NR’s Immigration agency.

Can you tell us a little bit about what exactly a foreigner should bring if he's going to come under the decree to have better opportunities in Russia?

Yes, hi everyone. Well, with regards to diplomas, the Russian government has introduced a list of universities by their names from different countries — you have universities from the UK, Australia, United States, Germany, quite a long list. If you graduate from a university that is on this list, your diploma doesn’t need to be specially attested in Russia. The process is called nostrification.

But in my opinion, from our practice, basically the diploma is not always required. So if you come as a manager, I don’t think that a particular diploma will be required by the employer. Basically, the employer would be looking more at your professional experience. Now, if you come as a doctor, that’s when it’s really required. Certain types of professions will require that you provide such a diploma.

The list of universities is online; I can send you the list. But again, in my opinion, most jobs will not require you to bring the diploma. Employers would be more than happy to employ you without such diplomas, just based on your experience.

It’s no secret that with this decree, Russia is going to be pulling people with all sorts of professions. The biggest question people ask about jobs is: What kind of jobs can I get in Russia?

So, could you tell us a little bit about what sort of jobs are sought after or are very important right now in Russia?

Well, as you probably know, according to different kinds of calculations, Russia needs about 5 million people because the economy is developing, and we need people with different experiences — blue-collar, white-collar, pretty much everyone. The construction industry is booming. The total number of people that we need is about 5 million, but for qualified jobs, I would outline several most important ones: specialists and engineers.

After 20 years of multinational companies working in Russia, their top management taught local Russian people management standards. So, Russia doesn’t really need managers unless they are very high-level. We have our own managers now. We need people that work with their hands — knowledge, software, etc.

In May 2022–23, Russia approved a doctrine to achieve technological sovereignty. That document outlines industries Russia believes are the most important to advance. Many things connected with AI, biotechnology — about 30 different types of industries are mentioned. If anyone wants to look into these, those are future jobs.

In my opinion, the decree dropping the Russian language requirement is still a barrier. A foreign national with all qualifications and experience who does not know at least basic conversational Russian may find it hard for purely Russian companies to offer them a job.

People want to know if they can, under temporary residency, start their own businesses or live an entrepreneurial life in Russia. Actually, to start a company, you don’t even need temporary residency. A foreign national can start an LLC in Russia based on a tourist visa and be a shareholder. To work in that company as a general director, you would need a work permit. Temporary residency allows you not only to be a shareholder but also to work as a general director in your own company without a work permit.

Another option is individual entrepreneurship, where you conduct business as an individual without registering a separate legal entity. That is also allowable at the temporary residency stage. Before that, even with a work visa, you could not register as an individual entrepreneur.

Thank you for the knowledge. Could you plug in all the information where people can find you?

You can find us online. If you want to move to this region, we’d be happy to assist you. You can Google Oka Agency, N Noar, and find us. In Moscow, I have my immigration website, MovingRussia.ru. You can connect with Timur and other specialists to get more information or help immigrate to Russia.

We don’t want to say this company is the only way to come to Russia — not at all. There are different avenues to approach getting what you want; you just have to work for it. I hope this news is motivating and giving you the information you need.

To summarize, Russia is trying to gather 5 million people to add to their workforce. They want technological independence and sovereignty. This opens up huge opportunities in IT, AI, construction, and skilled manual labor. You can even start your own company. People with experience in baking, cooking, teaching, construction, heavy equipment, and driving can potentially work anywhere in Russia or start their own company.

If you want to move, learn Russian, become part of the community, and explore the possibilities. Even if you’re in a small Siberian town, opportunities exist and multiply in big cities like Moscow or St. Petersburg.

Finally, I introduce my friend Anton, already in the Russian workforce. He’s had retail work, heavy lifting in warehouses, and factory work over five years. Foreigners can handle these jobs depending on support from coworkers. Construction is booming, and skilled workers, even non-Russians, are in demand. Learning Russian helps, but even basic language can allow you to get a job.

Words of encouragement: go for it. Experience makes you better. Learn Russian, engage with the community, and take initiative. Jobs are available, and the opportunities are vast.