The two work-permit routes — HQS and ordinary — differ on salary, quotas, speed and validity. Which your specific hire needs matters, because HQS is faster and quota-free but carries a salary floor, and choosing wrong costs weeks.
Senior and specialist roles that clear the salary threshold — quota-free, faster, 13% on salary from day one, longer validity.
Roles below the HQS salary floor — but it's quota-limited and slower, so the timeline depends on quota availability.
When a foreign company hires a foreign national in Russia, the work permit is rarely a formality — the route you choose affects the salary you must pay, how fast the person can start, the tax rate on their income, and whether their family can come. There are two main routes: the HQS (Highly Qualified Specialist) permit and the ordinary work permit. This guide compares them.
For managers, specialists and most foreign hires that a foreign-owned company brings in, the HQS permit is almost always the better route. It is not quota-limited, processes faster, lasts longer, and carries a favourable personal income tax rate from day one. The ordinary work permit is quota-based and slower, and mainly relevant where the salary threshold for HQS cannot be met.
The defining difference. HQS status requires a minimum salary — ₽750,000 per quarter now, rising to ₽717,000 per month from 1 March 2027 — that must be maintained every quarter, or status is lost. The ordinary permit has no such threshold, which is its main advantage for lower-paid roles.
HQS permits sit outside the annual foreign-worker quota, so availability is not a constraint. Ordinary permits are quota-limited, which can delay or block hiring depending on the year and region.
Pick your situation — we'll tell you where you stand:
An HQS permit is typically processed in about 14 working days and can be valid for up to three years, renewable. Ordinary permits take longer, are quota-dependent, and are usually valid for a year.
An HQS holder pays personal income tax at 13/15% from day one, rather than the 30% non-resident rate that can apply otherwise, and can bring family members on accompanying permits. This combination — faster, longer, lower-taxed, family included — is why HQS is the default for foreign-company hires who clear the salary bar.
If the role pays at or above the HQS threshold, use HQS — it is faster, cleaner and better for the employee. Use an ordinary permit where the salary genuinely cannot meet the threshold and the quota allows. We assess each hire and sequence the permit with payroll setup so the person is legally in post from the start.
₽750,000 per quarter now; ₽717,000 per month from 1 March 2027. It must be met every quarter — if it lapses, HQS status is lost and the employee reverts to ordinary foreign-worker rules.
No. HQS permits sit outside the annual foreign-worker quota, unlike ordinary work permits, which are quota-limited.
An HQS holder pays personal income tax at 13/15% from day one, rather than the 30% non-resident rate that can otherwise apply before residency is established.
Yes. Accompanying family members can obtain permits alongside the HQS holder, which is a further advantage over the ordinary route.
This compares the two work-permit routes on salary, quotas, speed and validity. Your question is which one your specific hire needs — because HQS is usually faster and quota-free but carries a salary floor, and choosing wrong costs you weeks or a rejected application.
Hiring a foreign national? The permit route decides speed and cost — worth choosing before you file, not after a rejection.
Practical support for international business in Russia.