Generally, all employers operating in Russia who plan to engage in a labor or civil law contract with foreign nationals who enter Russia under a visa regime must obtain the following:

• a work permit for each foreign employee
• a work visa for each foreign employee

The standard procedure for obtaining a regular work permit consists of the following steps:

Step one: The employer informs the Russian public employment authorities of the need for a foreign employee, i.e., of the open vacancy. If the Public Employment Service provides the employer with a local candidate for any such vacancy, the employer would need to hire the candidate or prepare the reason for rejecting and to be able to justify its specific need for a foreign national. A further application to the immigration authorities can be submitted no earlier than one calendar month after the need for foreign employees has been filed with the employment authorities.

Step two: The employer applies to the immigration authorities for a permit to hire and use foreign employees. A further application to the immigration authorities can be submitted no earlier than one calendar month after the permit to hire is issued.

Step three: The employer applies to the immigration authorities for a foreign employee’s individual work permit. The set of documents that should be filed with the immigration authorities includes:

• a legalized/apostil led copy of the foreign national’s university degree certificate
• original medical certificates
• certificates confirming knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history and basic legislative principles
• Russian employment agreement