Employment of international students in the Russian Federation: what documents are needed?
International full-time students can work in their free time without the appropriate permits (See Federal Law N 115-FZ "On the legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation" dated 25 July 2002, Article 13, Paragraph 4, Paragraph 7.1).
To sign an employment or civil contract with a company, you need to provide a certificate from the place of study confirming its status.
In this case, the employer does not need to obtain a permission to attract and use foreign workers. Yet the employer must send by mail or submit in person a notice of signing or termination of an employment contract or a civil contract with you to the district department of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region.
Please note that the employment or civil contract will be terminated upon completion (termination) of training.
Companies and positions where foreign citizens cannot work
- Foreign citizens cannot be hired for municipal or civil service and for work related to ensuring the security of Russia
- Foreign citizens cannot hold the position of chief accountant or any other position related to accounting in a Russian company. An exception is for foreigners who have received a temporary residence permit or a residence permit
Employment of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation after completion of training: what documents are needed?
After completing studies at an educational institution, a foreign citizen wishing to find a job on the territory of the Russian Federation will need to obtain a work permit or a patent. The set of documents for citizens of different countries is different.
These documents are not required for:
- those who have received a temporary residence permit or a residence permit in Russia
- foreign citizens from the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan). Hiring foreign citizens from the EAEU countries does not differ from hiring a Russian citizen
Note: the labour activity of international students is regulated by Article 13 "Labour activity of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation" of Federal Law No 115-FZ "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation" dated 25 July 2002.