Jobs in Russia 2022
Useful information and advice for expatriates looking for jobs in Moscow and other Russian cities, including Russian jobs for English speakers.
There are diverse employment opportunities in Russia and expatriates are often the highest-paid professionals. Large cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg especially offer the best opportunities for both English and Russian speakers.
Jobs in Russia
Moscow and St. Petersburg are the major economic centers of Russia that provide the best employment opportunities. The overall unemployment rate in Russia was measured at 6.3% in July 2020. This is an increase of about 30% since the start of the year, although this is largely due to the effects of COVID-19.
Moscow has the highest employment rate in Russia and its labor force makes up about a quarter of Russia's total GDP.
The service sector accounts for more than half of all jobs in Russia, with retail, tourism, health, and education among the most important service sectors. Mining, construction, and construction are the largest industrial sectors.
You can find many English-speaking jobs with large multinational companies in major Russian cities. Some of the largest international employers in Russia include:
- Japan Tobacco International
- Eurochem
- Philip Morris International
- Toyota
- Volkswagen
- Apple
The largest Russian employers include:
- Gazprom (oil and gas)
- Lukoil (oil and gas)
- Sberbank of Russia (Finance)
- Russian Railways (transport)
- PAO Rossetti (Energy)
Job vacancies in Russia
Depending on your background, finding vacancies for jobs in Russia may not be easy. Options for English speakers include teaching English (other native language teaching jobs such as French or German are also available), working for a multinational company in areas such as energy, finance or construction, or translation if you are bilingual. English teachers should check out BKC International and English First.
Areas of Moscow that are in high demand include:
- IT
- business development
- finance
- human resource
- medicine and medicine
Job Salary in Russia
The minimum wage in Russia is reviewed every six months, although it does not necessarily increase always. This was increased to R12,130 per month in January 2020.
The average monthly Russian salary as of June 2020 is just over R52,000. However, wages are slightly higher in Moscow, with many residents earning more than R75,000 per month.
Labor law and labor rights in Russia
Employment law in Russia is contained in the Russian Labor Code of 2002. The employment contract must be in writing. The Russian Labor Code states that there are three main types of contracts:
- Employment contract with free text - the most current contract with no exact period of validity, but containing a term of termination;
- a fixed-time employment contract - the contract has a validity of up to five years and is created only when a permanent contract is offered to a temporary employee;
- A seasonal work contract that is only valid for two months.
How to find a job in Russia
There are lots of recruitment agencies and job websites with opportunities in Moscow and St. Petersburg. However, they are best suited for those who are highly qualified and aim to hit the big corporates. Most of those agencies require your CV to be in English and sent by email or completed on their website.
Another useful way to find jobs in Russia is to contact international companies from your country directly and ask if they are doing business in Russia. Such companies are more likely to hire ex-pats to work in Russia.
Russian job websites
Jobs in Russia for foreigners
- SuperJob.ru
- headhunter.ru
- jobs in Moscow
- Moscow ex-pat site
- ex-pat jobs
- Career.ru
Russian Recruitment Agencies
Recruitment agencies in Russia are a good way to find Russian jobs. Most accept online registration and also enable you to upload Russia compliant CV. Some of the best recruitment agencies in Moscow and St. Petersburg are:
- Lapas
- g-neas
- Texan
- target jobs
- stray group
- world Vision
Networking Opportunities
When you arrive in Moscow or St. Petersburg, make sure you actively network and attend as many events and groups as possible.
Social media networks like Facebook and LinkedIn are a good place to start but look for groups that hold networking events specifically.
Self-employment and freelancing in Russia
You can set up your own business in Russia or work as a self-employed freelancer provided you have the right to work in the country. This could mean applying for a Russian work visa.
According to 2019 Russian Federation statistics, only about 6.8% of employees in Russia are registered as self-employed. This is below the global and European averages. However, it's worth considering if you have a great business idea and think you can make it work.
If you set up a limited company structure in Russia, don't forget that you will need to file separate taxes for the business and pay any Russian corporation tax.
Applying for Russian jobs
Even though some MNCs use online application forms, CVs and letters are a typical way of applying for jobs in Russia. A cover letter is an essential part of a job application and is often considered more important than a CV.
The letter format should be formal and make it clear how suitable you are for the job, your ambitions for the future, your qualifications, and your work experience.
Help looking for jobs in Russia
You can claim unemployment benefits in Russia if you have lived in Russia for at least 183 days within the previous year and are actively looking for work. Benefits are contribution-based and the amount you are eligible for depends on your earnings at your previous job and the Russian Social Security contributions you have made
Russian work visa
All foreign nationals wishing to work in Russia must have a work permit. The Russian Federal Migration Service issues work permits, which you need before applying for a work visa. Most foreigners need a Russian work visa, but there are exceptions:
Who has a permanent residence permit?
- Those working on a temporary basis for a foreign country, or traveling outside the country frequently.
- Those working in diplomatic missions or international organizations.
- Media representative with accreditation.
Starting a job in Russia
Beyond making sure that you’re registered for social security in Russia, you might want to consider taking out private cover for a few things once you start working in the country. These include:
Private health insurance in Russia. Although everyone is entitled to state healthcare in Russia, the quality of services is not always good so you might want to take out private coverage to access the best care.
Unemployment and accident insurance in Russia. Again, state benefit levels might not be sufficient, so a privacy policy is worth considering to make sure you are adequately funded in the event of becoming unemployed.
Supplementary Russian pension. All employees in Russia are given the option of paying into occupational or private pension schemes to supplement the national state pension. Your employer should provide you with details.
Useful resources
Russian Federal Service for Labor and Employment (ROSTRUD) – state-run employment service that has information on working in Russia.
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