To protect their domestic labor market, many countries, including Russia, set quotas for employers who wish to hire foreign nationals. Companies need to obtain permission from the state and submit an application to hire foreign nationals from a country with which Russia has a visa regime in place.

For more detailed information, please see our article on how to obtain an authorization to hire foreign nationals. We have reviewed below the exceptions to the rule.

Which foreign nationals are not subject to the quota rule?

To hire the following employees, it is not necessary to apply for quotas:

  • Highly qualified specialists. These foreign nationals are those receiving a gross salary in Russia of at least RUB 2 million per year. Such specialists are hired under a simplified procedure.
  • Specialists in the list of professions approved by the Russian Ministry of Labor as provided below.

List of professions not subject to work permit quotas:

  1. Aeronautical and radio-electronic equipment technician
  2. Aircraft and engine technician
  3. Ballet dancer
  4. Ballet dancer (lead)
  5. Actor
  6. Orchestra musician
  7. Symphonic (chamber) orchestra musician
  8. Circus performer
  9. Vocalist (opera and chamber)
  10. Vocalist (solo artist)
  11. Assistant director-producer
  12. Assistant production designer
  13. Choreographer
  14. Presenter (anchor man)
  15. General director of company
  16. General director of directorate general
  17. General director of cross-industry research and technology center
  18. General director of association
  19. General director of enterprise
  20. General director of production association
  21. Chief engineer (industry)
  22. Chief project engineer
  23. Director (manager) of hotel (camping site, recreation and retreat center)
  24. Branch director (manager)
  25. Director (head, manager) of management board
  26. Director (head, manager) of enterprise
  27. Director of company
  28. Director of base (tourist)
  29. Department director
  30. Plant director
  31. Association director
  32. Director of economics
  33. Director of representative office
  34. Factory director
  35. Firm director
  36. Conductor
  37. Deputy chairman of board
  38. Sound engineer
  39. Sound producer
  40. Interior engineer
  41. Aeronautical and radio-electronic equipment engineer
  42. Engineer for automation and mechanization of production processes
  43. Engineer for automated production control systems
  44. Engineer for automated technical process control systems
  45. New equipment and technology engineer
  46. Information security engineer
  47. Quality engineer
  48. Debugging and testing engineer
  49. Production management engineer
  50. Pre-production engineer
  51. Aircraft and engine engineer
  52. Welding engineer
  53. Aircraft (aircraft systems) engineer
  54. Civil engineer
  55. Design engineer
  56. Process engineer
  57. Electrical engineer
  58. Ringmaster (lead presentation)
  59. Tourist coach
  60. Correspondent
  61. Publishing house, newspaper and magazine correspondent
  62. Manager (catering and hotel)
  63. Head waiter (retail space manager)
  64. Travel (excursion) organizer
  65. Technical translator
  66. Stunt coordinator
  67. Board chairman
  68. President of association (concern, corporation) (socio-economic organization)
  69. Programmer
  70. Director
  71. Director-producer
  72. Ballet master
  73. Head of group (hobby club, team, amateur club, section, studio, tourist group)
  74. Dredging technician
  75. Debugging and testing technician
  76. Choreographer
  77. Set designer
  78. Chef

We would be pleased and look forward to assisting with the preparation of all documents necessary to hire foreign nationals for whom quotas are not required. For a consultation, please fill out the form.

Labor and migration Labor law Migration Quotas Visa