How to get a work visa in 2021?

Who needs a work visa to Russia?

A work visa is one of the types of ordinary Russian visas that can be obtained by “mere mortals”, not diplomats, not consular employees, etc. It is issued to those foreigners from visa countries who want to work for the benefit of a Russian company (or a foreign/international company based in the Russian Federation). BUT! To receive it, you must already have an invitation from the employer and guarantees of employment. Simply put, you first get a job in the Russian Federation and only then receive permission to enter, and not vice versa.

As a rule, work visas are given to highly qualified (HQS), narrowly focused or rare specialists, replacements for whom are very difficult to find in the Russian Federation. Its registration is associated with a bunch of bureaucratic red tape: the company must have permission to attract and use foreign workers , they will have to issue an invitation and work permit for the future employee, etc. To do this, the employer must understand that such a foreign employee is truly irreplaceable or more profitable than Russian applicants for this position.

Clause 1 of Article 18 115-FZ

Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) visas – temporary worker visa

The requirements for applicants for these categories of visas differ depending on the type of visa and boil down to proving the applicant’s intention to engage in activities in the UK that correspond to the type of visa, his qualifications and skills, as well as the main activity of the employer.

For applicants of all categories of temporary workers, it is mandatory to have an employer who provides a certificate of sponsorship, as well as a requirement for financial support: it is necessary to show that the applicant has an amount of at least 945 pounds, which have been in the account for 90 days before date of submission of documents.

Temporary worker visas are issued for a period of 12 or 24 months, or until the expiration of the sponsorship certificate, whichever comes first.

How long is a work visa to Russia valid for foreigners?

A work visa is issued for a period from 3 months to 3 years and can be single or multiple. Let's figure out why this depends.

Let's imagine that you are a citizen of, say, Germany, and you are invited to work by a Russian company. You go through the initial interviews and decide that you agree. Time to sign the employment contract. First, the employer sends you an invitation, with which you can apply for a single-entry business visa for up to 30 days. You come, have an interview, and, if the legal entity has the right to hire foreigners, sign an agreement. After this, the employer issues an invitation for you for a work visa.

The primary work visa is issued for 3 months and is single-entry. But after registration with migration authorities, it can be immediately extended at the place of registration and replaced with a multiple-entry one. With it, you can safely leave and enter Russia during its entire validity period.

This concerns the multiplicity. Now about the expiration date.

If you are not a HQS and you have not been sent by a foreign company to work in the Russian Federation in its own branch, you can obtain an entry permit for a period of no more than 1 year. Every 12 months it can be extended, but only if: a) you continue to work in the company that invited you and b) the employer still has a quota for hiring foreigners.

Article 13.2. Peculiarities of labor activity by foreign citizens - highly qualified specialists

If you are on the list of HQS (or if you were sent to work in its Russian branch, representative office or subsidiary by a foreign commercial organization registered in one of the member states of the World Trade Organization), then you will receive a work visa for 3 years, with the possibility extend it for the duration of the employment contract.

Having a work visa in hand, you can stay in the country all year round. Other ordinary visas do not provide this opportunity.

How to apply for a work visa?

The completeness of the package of documents that will need to be collected will depend on the specific employment situation. This implies a work contract or employment for a limited period. The permit is issued by a specific employer and the visa is issued to a specific company, so if the employment relationship is broken, it may be canceled. When submitting an application to the consulate, the applicant must have with him an already signed agreement with the potential employer. The procedure for an immigrant who decides to go to work should look like this:

• Find a job in any EU country.
• Conclude an agreement with the employer.
• Make sure that the potential employer has the right to hire foreigners and is ready to prepare documents and requests on his part.
• Receive an invitation to work and a copy of the contract for signing.
• Prepare all the necessary documents for obtaining a visa and moving to another country.

Depending on the country, the migration department may ask for additional certificates about health status, lack of criminal record, and marital status. The applicant needs to be prepared for the fact that he may be invited for an interview.

Any errors in the application are strictly unacceptable and the submission of false information is completely excluded. The form must be filled out in two languages: your native language and the language of the country to which you plan to move. During the interview at the consulate, you must confirm what is written in the application form and the documents provided. The nuance may be that the same questions can be asked in different formulations and they must be answered without errors.

Documents for obtaining a work visa

To obtain a work visa, you will need to collect and prepare the documents below:

• a foreign passport with a reserve validity period (copies of all pages are also prepared);
• civil passport and its copies;
• identification number, if any, and a copy thereof;
• photo in color, 2 pcs;
• completed visa application form;
• insurance policy signed with an EU approved company;
• original and copy of job invitation, contract.

When applying for a Schengen visa, you will need to provide a certificate of financial solvency, a rental or purchase agreement, as well as information about the immigrant’s occupation.

Who issues an invitation for a work visa?

The employment invitation is issued by the employer. If we are not talking about HQS, then the receipt of such invitations and work permits for foreign employees occurs within the quota established annually in each specific region of Russia depending on the needs of its market.

And to understand how to invite a highly qualified specialist, read the instructions that we have prepared together with lawyers.
Invitation to work for HQS
To receive this document, the employer contacts the Department of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (in person or through the government services website), submits his identification document, a copy of the employee’s identification document, a petition and a letter of guarantee and waits for 20 days. The received papers are forwarded to the future employee.

Types of work visas

A work visa gives permission to work and live in Austria. You cannot get a job on another type of visa, for example, a tourist visa. An exception is citizens of the European Union who will not need a visa for employment, since Austria is a member of the EU and the Schengen area.

You can find out where it is easier to obtain citizenship in the European Union by following this link.

There are three types of work visa:

• The Jobseeker Visa.
• Blue Card EU (blue card).
• RWR Card (The Red-White-Red).

RWR Card

The Rot-Weiß-Rot card is issued for employment only with the employer for whom this document was issued. You cannot work for another organization.

This is what the Rot-Weiß-Rot map looks like

The RWR card is issued for a year, but after 10 months of work you can apply for an RWR Card Plus visa. It will allow you to find a job with any employer.

To select candidates for the RWR Card, an assessment system has been developed, where applicants must achieve a passing score. The following is assessed:

1. Work experience.
2. Education.
3. Qualification.
4. Type of professional activity.
5. Candidate's age.
6. Language skills.

Professional immigration to Austria is available to the following categories of persons:

• Highly qualified specialists. The passing score for this category is 70 out of 100 points.
• Representatives of scarce specializations (50 out of 75 points).
• Other specialists (50 out of 75 points).
• Families of professional immigrants (German language proficiency at least at level A1).

The family of a highly skilled worker has the right to immigrate immediately with the applicant. Families of persons of other categories - only after three months. Family members of a working immigrant who holds an RWR Card or RWR Card Plus visa automatically receive a RWR Card Plus.

The Jobseeker Visa

This visa is issued for 180 days for the purpose of independently searching for a job and passing an interview. A foreigner receiving this document is obliged to go to Austria and directly search for work there.

to obtain The Jobseeker Visa.

Application form for The Jobseeker Visa, 1 page.

Application form for The Jobseeker Visa, 2 pages.

To select candidates for a visa, the same point system is used as when receiving an RWR card. After the assessment, it is decided whether the applicant will receive a visa or not.

.

Criteria confirmation form

The job must correspond to the skill level and education of the applicant. If such a position has been in place for six months, the employer must inform the relevant authorities of its readiness to accept a foreign citizen. On this basis, the foreigner is issued an annual RWR Card visa.

If a person has not been able to find a suitable job within six months, he is obliged to leave the country. You can apply for a work visa to Austria again only after 12 months from the date of departure.

Blue Card EU

The advantage of the visa is that it is issued for two years. But it applies only to highly qualified specialists and only at the invitation of the employer.

Blue Card EU (blue card)

To receive a card, some conditions must be met:

1. The position corresponds to qualifications and work experience.
2. Availability of higher education.
3. Wages are one and a half times higher than the country's annual average.
4. The contract with the employer is concluded for at least a year.
5. There are no Austrian candidates for this position.

The choice of Austrian visas is sufficient to meet certain requirements. Therefore, it is worth studying the latter in detail.

By the way, with a work visa you can do an internship as a volunteer or a paid employee.

How to get a work visa to Russia: documents and step-by-step instructions

To apply for a work visa to Russia you will need the following package of documents:

• Work invitation;
• A foreign passport that will be valid for at least 1.5 years from the date of receipt of entry permission. It must also have blank pages;
• Visa application form with photo 3.5x4.5;
• Medical insurance;
• Certificate of absence of HIV (with translation into Russian);
• Receipt of payment of the consular fee.

We discussed the work invitation above - it is issued by the employer. The foreigner begins to act only after receiving this paper. Everything is clear with a foreign passport, so let’s move on:

1. We go to the website of the Consular Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, select your language and country in the upper right corner. Fill out the visa application form, print it out and paste in your photo;
2. Medical insurance can be obtained from any insurance company operating in the Russian Federation. The cheapest way to do this yourself is to find a company that issues policies online. You can do this through a visa center, but the insurance will probably cost you more.
3. A certificate of HIV absence is issued at a specialized medical center. It is valid for 3 months and must contain information about the duration of the expected stay in Russia and the date of the study.
4. The consular fee (+visa fee if you apply through the Visa Application Center) can be paid on the spot.
5. With all the collected documents, we go to the consulate of the Russian Federation and submit them..

You will have to wait up to 10 days if you are from the EU, and up to 20 days if you are from any other country.

Other visas

Work visas are issued to highly qualified specialists from countries other than the EEA and Switzerland who are invited to work for an English company that has the appropriate license. The employer must show that it was unable to find another candidate to replace you in the local market.

We help companies obtain a license and workers obtain a visa to work in the UK.

Work visas are divided into several types.

Tier 2 (General)

This category of work visas is issued to foreign workers who have been invited to work in the UK in one of the authorized positions. The employer must have a special license to issue you an individual invitation - a sponsorship certificate.

You must meet one of the criteria for this category:

• You have sufficient skills and experience for an eligible position;
• You apply for a position from a special “list of in-demand vacancies”;
• Your salary is above £159,600 per year.

Your salary should be commensurate with your position, but in any case it should not be less than £30,000.

Holders of this visa must work for the employer who issued them the sponsorship certificate, although they have the opportunity to work additionally for a maximum of 20 hours per week in the same field and qualifications as their main position. However, they do not have the right to own their own business or to receive financial assistance from the state.

Unless your sponsor agrees to support you and your dependents, you must show that you have funds of at least £945 for the main applicant and £630 for each dependent family member, and they must have been in your bank account for at least 90 days before applying for a visa. Additional requirements:

• An appropriate level of English proficiency (B1 according to the European classification or British diploma);
• Certificate of no criminal record for 10 years (for some professions).

Valid term of a visa

Your sponsor determines the duration of the employment contract, but the maximum period is 5 years and 2 weeks. If the visa period is less than 5 years, the visa can be extended.

Tier 2 (Intra-company transfer)

This category is intended for qualified employees of international companies who are offered a position in a licensed division of the company in the UK.

This visa has 2 subcategories:

Long-term contract for permanent employees. If your employer cannot offer you a salary of at least £73,900 per annum, you must work at head office for at least 12 months before transferring. The maximum visa validity period is 5 years and 4 weeks.

Graduate Trainee – designed for recently graduated employees who are being sent to a company location in the UK for training as part of a corporate programme. The maximum visa validity period is 12 months.

Tier 2 (Athlete)

This category is intended for internationally recognized athletes and coaches who make a significant contribution to the development of their sport. Such an application must be approved by the responsible body of the sport. Other requirements: an invitation, knowledge of English and sufficient funds to support yourself and cover your expenses.

The maximum visa validity period is 3 years with the possibility of extension for another 3 years.

Tier 2 (Cleric)

This category is intended for clergy who have been asked to undertake pastoral or preaching work in religious communities in the UK, as well as members of religious organizations and communities. An invitation, knowledge of English and personal savings are also required for this visa, the duration of which cannot exceed 3 years and 1 month.

Priority review service

It can be used when extending a visa and when switching to a Tier 2 category from another category, only if you do this within the country. A decision will be made within 10 working days, although if you have a severe case it may take longer.

Permanent residence permit

A Tier 2 visa holder and their dependents are able to apply for permanent residence after 5 years of living and working continuously in the UK on this visa. However, you cannot spend more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. The main applicant must explain all periods of absence for business, personal and other reasons. You must also show that your position is still in demand by the employer and you are receiving at least the required salary.

In addition, you must pass the Life in the UK test and show a level of English language proficiency of at least B1 according to the European classification.

Citizenship and passport

One year after receiving permanent residence on a Tier 2 visa, all family members can apply for naturalization (citizenship) of the UK, provided that all requirements are met.

How much will it cost?

The cost of a work visa is a highly individual matter, but we have tried to calculate the most obvious costs.

Part of the amount falls on the shoulders of the hiring organization:

1. Permission to attract and use foreign workers: 10,000 rubles ;
2. Work permit for a foreign citizen: 3,500 rubles ;
3. Issuing an invitation: 800 rubles ;

The other part is the foreigner's responsibility:

1. Consular fee: approximately from 3,000 to 16,000 rubles , depending on citizenship;
2. Insurance: 10,000 - 15,000 rubles per 1 year for an adult up to 69 years old;
3. HIV certificate: 1000 - 3000 rubles.

And these are just the obvious expenses. But before that, in order for the employer to issue a work permit for you, you will have to translate and notarize all your diplomas, passport and other documents necessary for employment. In addition, the visa will then have to be extended (which means paying a state fee), insurance taken out again (after its expiration date), etc.

Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa – visa for a minister of a religious organization

This category is for people who have been offered work in a religious community (for example, as a clergyman, missionary or member of a religious order) in the UK.

This category has requirements for obtaining a certificate of sponsorship, similar to a general work visa.

Requirements for an applicant for a minister of a religious organization visa:

• availability of certificate of sponsorship;
• confirmation of a sufficient level of English language proficiency;
• financial support requirement (if the sponsor does not have a level A license): the applicant must show that the applicant has an amount of at least £945 that has been in the account for 90 days before the date of submission of documents.

Visas for ministers of religious organizations are issued for a period of up to three years or until the expiration of the certificate of sponsorship, whichever comes first.

This category, if the requirements of the law are met, allows the applicant, after five years of residence in the country, to apply for a permanent residence permit. A year after receiving a permanent residence permit, a foreigner has the right to obtain citizenship (UK passport).

How to extend a work visa to Russia?

Visa extensions are handled by the Russian Migration Department. You must apply for this no later than 20 days before the expiration date of your entry permit. The following documents should be submitted to the territorial department of the Department of Migration:

• A newly completed visa application form with a photo;
• Valid passport;
• The employer's request to extend the validity of the visa;
• Extended employment contract (or GPC);
• Receipt for payment of state duty (1600 rubles);

The period for reviewing the application is up to 20 days.

By the way, the work permit must also be renewed in a timely manner.

Receipt for foreigners in Russia

Residents of foreign countries who want to officially get a job in Russia also need to apply for a work visa.

List of documents

To be employed at a Russian enterprise, a foreigner is required to submit to the Migration Service of the Russian Federation:

• original invitation from the employer;
• a foreign passport valid for at least one and a half years from the date the visa was issued, with two or more blank pages;
• completed application form;
• two color photos 35 by 45 mm;
• a medical certificate confirming the absence of dangerous infectious diseases;
• health insurance.

The set of documents also includes a receipt confirming payment of the visa fee.

Algorithm

The algorithm of actions for employing a foreigner in the Russian Federation is as follows:

• the management of a Russian enterprise contacts the employment center and the migration department regarding a work permit in Russia;
• the obtained permit is sent to the foreigner by mail;
• the future employee collects the necessary papers and submits an application for a work visa to the migration service of the Russian Federation;
• Having received a visa document and entered the territory of Russia, the foreigner enters into a contract, the employer registers the employee in the regional division of the Federal Migration Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation;
• three months later, upon expiration of the visa, the company applies to the migration service to extend the period for another year.

If the application is positive, the foreign citizen will receive a permit to work in the Russian Federation for 12 months with the possibility of multiple border crossings.

The visa application form can be filled out and submitted electronically on the official website of the Russian consulate.

Applying for a work visa to Russia for foreigners

Price

When applying for a visa to hire a foreigner, both parties – the employer and the employee – bear the costs.

From the employer's side

The employer must pay:

• for the right to employ foreign citizens – 10 thousand rubles;
• for permission to hire a foreigner – 3,500 rubles;
• for an invitation – 800 rubles.

The possibility of obtaining a work permit for foreign citizens is determined by the terms of the quota based on the region and professional background of the employee.

Are there any alternatives?

As you can see, getting a work visa to Russia is not so easy and at the same time expensive. Therefore, there are a sufficient number of people willing to use other routes. For example, a multiple-entry business visa is issued through an agency. However, it allows you to stay in the Russian Federation for only 90 days out of 180. With a working permit, you can live in Russia for the entire validity period. But maybe it’s worth getting a business visa and, say, applying for a temporary residence permit. Having this status will make life much easier for both you and your employers.

Subscribe to Migranta Rus: Yandex News.

Tier 2 (Sportsperson) visa – athlete visa to the UK

Applicants for this category of visa can be athletes or qualified coaches recognized by relevant international sporting bodies who can make a significant contribution to the development of British sport.

This category has requirements for obtaining a certificate of sponsorship, similar to a general work visa.

UK sports visa applicant requirements:

• availability of certificate of sponsorship;
• confirmation of a sufficient level of English language proficiency;
• financial support requirement (if the sponsor does not have a level A license: it is necessary to show that the applicant has an amount of at least £945 that is in the account within 90 days before the date of submission of documents.

Athlete visas are issued for a period of up to three years or until the expiration of the sponsorship certificate, whichever comes first.

Also, such a visa can be extended up to 6 years.