The two routes to employing a foreigner in Russia compared — salary thresholds, quotas, processing time, validity, tax rate and family — so you pick the right permit.
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 — around ₽750,000 per quarter — 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.
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.
Around ₽750,000 per quarter (about ₽250,000/month). 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.
Practical support for international business in Russia.