Benefits for information technology (IT) professionals

This page is for Turkish citizens who are software developers, system engineers, and other IT professionals considering working for an IT company in Russia. Russia grants two important benefits to foreign professionals working for IT companies accredited by the state: working without a work permit and obtaining a residence permit (ВНЖ) directly without first obtaining a temporary residence permit. Below, you will find the conditions and steps for these benefits, your obligations, and the income verification introduced in 2027.

• No work permit or employer permit required: for an IT professional who enters into an employment contract or service contract with an accredited IT company, the obligation to obtain a work permit or patent, as well as the employer's obligation to obtain permission to employ a foreign worker, does not apply.
• Direct residence permit (ВНЖ): a professional working for an accredited IT company and their family can apply for a ВНЖ without first obtaining a temporary residence permit (РВП).
• Extension of the period of stay: the period of stay of a foreigner who can work without a work permit is extended for the duration of the employment contract. If the contract has an indefinite term, the period of stay is extended for up to 1 year from entry and may be extended again for 1 year at a time.
• These benefits have applied since June 28, 2022 (Federal Law 207-FZ).

• You must be a specialist in the IT field. When applying for a ВНЖ, a document proving your education or qualifications in the IT field is required.
• Your employer must be an organization that has obtained a state accreditation document in the IT field (документ о государственной аккредитации) in accordance with the procedure established by the Russian Government.
• Companies registered in special economic zones focused on technology and implementation are excluded from this benefit.
• You must have entered into an employment contract or service contract with the employer.

1. Verify the company's accreditation. Request the IT accreditation document from the employer. Accreditation is granted by the Russian Ministry of Digital Development (Минцифры).
2. Sign the contract. It may be an employment contract or a service contract.
3. Clarify the visa issue. Turkish citizens enter Russia with a visa. Clarify with your employer and the Russian consulate which type of visa you will use (see R1.3 and R1.4).
4. Employer notification: the employer must notify the Interior Ministry office in the region where you work that it has entered into a contract with you or that the contract has ended within 3 business days.
5. Migration registration: within 7 business days after arriving in Russia (see R2.1).
6. Fingerprinting and photographing: within 30 calendar days from the employment contract date, but no later than 90 calendar days from entry (see R2.3).
7. Medical examination: in accordance with the statutory deadlines and repeated every year (see R2.3).
8. Extension of the period of stay: apply to the Interior Ministry office according to your contract.
9. Since you are not obtaining a work permit, you do not pay the work permit fee. The Russian-language, history, and law certificate requirement also does not apply to you at this stage, as it is prescribed for work permit applications.

• Who can apply: a professional working for an accredited IT company and their family. Family includes a spouse, children (including adopted children), children's spouses, parents (including adoptive parents), the spouses of parents, grandparents, and grandchildren.
• Where: at the migration office of the Russian Interior Ministry at the place where you will permanently reside.
• Processing period: 3 months according to the Russian Embassy in Ankara.
• Additional documents:
  • an employment contract or service contract concluded with the accredited company
  • a document proving education or qualifications in the IT field
  • documents proving family relationships for family members
• Language certificate: IT professionals are not included in the list of persons exempt from proving knowledge of Russian, history, and law when applying for a ВНЖ. Therefore, a certificate is required (see R4.3).
• Fee: 30,000 rubles for a ВНЖ.
• Once you obtain a ВНЖ, you can work in any region of Russia without a work permit; for the other rules concerning the ВНЖ, see R4.2.

• From January 1, 2027, foreigners working in Russia will be required to support themselves and their dependent family members with an income equal to the subsistence minimum of the region where they work multiplied by the regional coefficient.
• From March 1, 2027, the income information sent by the tax administration will be checked for foreigners working without a work permit. This rule also covers those working for accredited IT companies:
  • if no income information is available, or if the income is below the subsistence minimum multiplied by the regional coefficient, the contract will be deemed terminated
  • in this case, the period of stay of you and your family will be shortened; the shortening decision will take effect after 15 calendar days
  • a foreigner whose period of stay has been shortened must leave the country within 3 days
• These checks will apply to income information for 2027 and subsequent years.

• Migration office of the Russian Interior Ministry — extension of the period of stay, fingerprint registration, ВНЖ applications
  • Go to the office in the region where you are staying. Appointments are made through Gosuslugi (account login required).
• Russian missions in Türkiye — visa applications (see R1.5)
• Gosuslugi — Interior Ministry appointments, migration registration, tax identification number (see R2.6)

• Starting work without verifying the company's accreditation. If there is no accreditation, a work permit is required and penalties for unauthorized work apply (see R3.5).
• Assuming that these benefits can be used at a company registered in a technology zone.
• Missing the 90-day deadline for fingerprint registration.
• Assuming that a language certificate is not required when applying for a ВНЖ.
• Failing to ensure that your salary is officially paid by the employer in Russia while working remotely. From 2027, income verification will examine these records.

• Am I subject to a quota as an IT professional? Quotas are set for work permits and invitations for employment purposes. A work permit is not required under this benefit. Clarify the visa and invitation process with your employer.
• Can my family also obtain a ВНЖ? Yes. Your family members, such as your spouse, children, and parents, can also apply for a ВНЖ without obtaining a temporary residence permit first.
• What is the difference between the ВКС status and the IT benefit? ВКС status depends on a high salary threshold and a work permit is issued (see R3.2). There is no salary threshold for the IT benefit, and no work permit is required, but the employer must be an accredited IT company.
• What happens if I leave my job? Your period of stay has been extended according to your contract. If the contract ends, you must obtain a new legal basis for staying or leave the country. Ask the Interior Ministry office for details (see R2.2).
• Can I establish a company in Russia and work as an IT professional in my own company? The benefit depends on the company having obtained IT accreditation. See R9.4 for the rules on establishing a company. Consult a lawyer about your situation.

• Federal Law 115-FZ, Art. 13: cases in which a work permit is not required
• Federal Law 115-FZ, Art. 8: ВНЖ without a temporary residence permit
• Federal Law 241-FZ: income verification from 2027
• Russian Embassy – information for IT professionals
• Gosuslugi – residence permit (ВНЖ) questions
• Gosuslugi – Interior Ministry appointment (account login required)