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Market entry · 07

Immigration & HQS permits in Russia

HQS work permits and mobility for foreign executives.

Immigration and mobility support for foreign executives, specialists and international employees — HQS work permits, visas and registration handled end to end, including family relocation.

Chinese companiesUAE investorsTurkish groupsIndian companiesEU subsidiaries
Book a call ← All expertise
At a glance
ScenarioMarket entry
HQS permitFrom 18 days
LeadImmigration team

Overview

Bringing foreign executives and specialists into Russia depends on the Highly Qualified Specialist (HQS) work permit and the sequence of steps around it — visas, migration registration and personal accreditation. Timing matters: the permit governs when someone can start, and it interacts with the corporate appointments they may hold.

We manage the full process, from the HQS application (issued from around eighteen days depending on the case) through visas, registration and renewals, including accompanying family members and their relocation. Because immigration rarely sits alone, we coordinate it with the corporate and payroll workstreams — so a newly appointed director has both the permit and the paperwork in place at the same time.

+ what we offer
01
HQS work permits

Full Highly Qualified Specialist work-permit applications for foreign professionals, issued from around eighteen days depending on the case.

HQS eligibility assessment
Application preparation and filing
Permit issuance (from ~18 days)
Renewals and extensions
02
Visas & registration

Work visas, migration registration and personal accreditation handled end to end.

Work visa support
Migration registration
Personal accreditation
Arrival coordination
03
Family relocation

Accompanying family members, their registration and all renewals managed together.

Family member visas
Dependant registration
School and housing referrals
Renewals management
04
Coordination

Immigration aligned with the corporate appointment and payroll setup, so permit and paperwork land at the same time.

Corporate-appointment alignment
Payroll onboarding coordination
Timeline management
Single point of contact

What's included

HQS (Highly Qualified Specialist) work permits Read insights: HR & immigration Work visa support Read insights: HR & immigration Migration registration Read insights: HR & immigration Personal accreditation Read insights: HR & immigration Family relocation support Read insights: HR & immigration
Renewals and extensions
+ fixed-scope package
Expat Tax Pack
Residency assessment
Annual 3-NDFL preparation
CFC notifications where due
Currency-control account notices
Timeline
Annual cycle
Pricing
Fixed fee, quoted in 24h
Get a quote →

Typical situations we handle

A foreign executive or General Director needs an HQS work permit to be in post legally.

Specialists require work visas, migration registration and accreditation.

A relocating employee is bringing their family and needs permits for them too.

Example · Recent work
Foreign executive relocation

Secured an HQS work permit and coordinated visas, registration and family relocation alongside the director’s corporate appointment — permit and paperwork in place at the same time.

+ how we work

A clear, coordinated process

01
Eligibility check

We confirm the role and salary meet HQS criteria — ₽750,000/quarter minimum — and review the employment contract, flagging any risks before filing.

02
MVD application

Full application package prepared and filed at the MVD and tracked through the system. Standard processing is about 14 working days.

03
Visa & travel

Invitation letter issued to the Russian consulate in the employee’s city; they apply for a single-entry work visa. We coordinate arrival timing.

04
Registration & payroll

Migration registration completed within 7 days of arrival, permit issued, and payroll set up to keep the quarterly threshold met.

+ at a glance

HQS vs ordinary work permit

Factor
HQS permit
Ordinary permit
Quota
Not quota-based
Subject to annual quota
Salary requirement
₽750,000 / quarter
None set
Processing time
~14 working days
Longer, quota-dependent
Validity
Up to 3 years, renewable
Usually 1 year
Family
Permits for family included
Limited
Personal tax (NDFL)
13 / 15% from day one
30% until resident
+ in-house vs outsourced

Building it in-house, or outsourcing to us

Factor
In-house
With TaxWell
Russian expertise
Depends on hire
Big Four background team
1C configuration
Separate cost
Included
FTS audit representation
Additional legal fee
Included in engagement
Languages
Usually Russian only
EN · RU · 中文 · Türkçe
Scalability
Fixed headcount
Scales with volume
+ questions

Frequently asked

What is the HQS salary threshold, and what happens if it is not met?

₽750,000 per quarter (about ₽250,000/month). It must be met every quarter or HQS status is lost automatically, and the employee reverts to standard foreign-national rules — so we monitor it throughout the year.

Can the General Director of a Russian LLC be on an HQS permit?

Yes, but there is a procedural point: the General Director cannot sign the HQS application on their own behalf. A separate authorised representative signs via power of attorney — we arrange this.

How long does the whole process take, from decision to starting work?

Typically 6–8 weeks: 1–2 weeks to prepare documents, about 14 working days for MVD processing, 5–10 working days for the consulate visa, plus travel time.

Do you handle HQS permits for Chinese nationals specifically?

Yes — Chinese nationals are the most common nationality for HQS permits in our practice. We work in Chinese and understand the Chinese corporate document structure.

What if the salary threshold changes in 2026?

A legislative change would raise the HQS minimum threshold from 1 September 2026. We monitor it and advise existing clients on transition. Figures here are indicative and confirmed per case.

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Other expertise

04
Company registration
05
Payroll & HR
03
Legal & corporate
We work with
Chinese companiesUAE & Turkish subsidiariesIndian companiesEU companiesInternational groups
We work in
EnglishRussian中文Türkçe
+ what happens when you contact us
01
You send us a question

By email, WhatsApp, Telegram or WeChat. Describe your situation briefly — we don’t need everything upfront.

02
We respond within 24 hours

A named adviser replies — not a generic inbox. We confirm whether we can help and propose a call if needed.

03
30-minute intro call

We ask about your situation, Russian entity structure and what you need. No charge. In English, Russian or Chinese.

04
Engagement letter

Clear scope, fee and timeline. We start on receipt of the signed letter. No retainer lock-in on project work.

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Insights
3-NDFL tax return in Russia: complete guide for foreign individualsAccounting Outsourcing in Russia: PracticalAccounting in Russia: RAS rules and mandatory reporting for foreign companies All articles →
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