What is the FSB? This is one of the most influential organizations in Russia - the Federal Security Service. As the name implies, it ensures the safety of the country's citizens. This work is specific, requires a special mindset, is associated with risks to life, as well as quite heavy loads: physical and psychological.
Everything related to the activities of the intelligence services has always been shrouded in secrecy. Working in these structures is, of course, quite prestigious. But not everyone knows about the nuances of this work. But still, we will try to find out how much FSB employees receive and what benefits and allowances they are entitled to.
Responsibilities
The main function of this specialist is to collect information. The criminal investigation officer conducts interviews with victims and witnesses, as well as interrogations of suspects.
Representatives of this profession examine crime scenes, collect physical evidence and conduct subsequent research. If necessary, the detective can study documents, make inquiries about the person of interest, as well as monitor personal correspondence, telephone calls and carry out personal observation.
In some cases, prompt implementation and investigative experiments are required. The basis for all these activities is the initiation of a criminal case.
average salary
Today, the average salary in the FSB in Russia is about 45,000 rubles per month. How much is it, a lot or a little? This is not to say that this is too much even by Russian standards, but it is still significantly more than the average salary of the average Russian.
Back in 2012, the average income of an employee of the Federal Security Service was only 30 thousand rubles. And then a paradoxical situation arose.
That same year, a government program was launched to increase the welfare of civil service employees.
This program contributed to an increase in the salaries of many categories of civil servants, including employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. But the FSB employees then, for a number of reasons, bypassed this happiness. Thus, during the season, the earnings of an ordinary police officer exceeded the income of an FSB officer.
Salary amount
Of course, it will not be possible to find out exact information about the total amount of income for a particular position, since everything is determined by length of service, bonuses and other factors listed above. However, there are certain rules for calculating salaries, and they are all based on the concept of official salary and salary by military rank (for military personnel they are summed up).
Let's start with official salaries
The biggest one, naturally, goes to the head of the service - almost 55 thousand rubles, according to the resolution. Taking into account the fact that all allowances are calculated based on this amount, the final income will also be the largest.
The official salary of the deputy head of the service is almost 50 thousand, and almost the same for the head of the department.
Further salaries go in the following order (descending):
- head of department - 38 thousand rubles,
- deputy head of department - 37 thousand rubles,
- senior detective – 33.6 thousand rubles,
- detective - 31.8 thousand rubles.
For primary officer positions, the salary level is about 24 thousand rubles. A radio engineer receives a salary of 18 thousand rubles. Primary soldier positions require a salary of 12 thousand rubles.
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There is also the concept of salary according to military ranks
Here the highest is 30 thousand rubles (for the general). Further: the colonel general is paid a salary of 27 thousand rubles, the lieutenant general - 22 thousand rubles, the major general - 20 thousand rubles, the colonel - 13 thousand rubles, the lieutenant colonel - 12 thousand rubles, the major - 11.5 thousand rubles, the captain - 11 thousand rubles, junior lieutenant - 9.5 thousand rubles. The salary of a private soldier is the lowest - only 5 thousand rubles. It should be noted that salaries for doctors and civilian specialists are calculated separately according to their own systems. For civilians, they basically correspond to what is usually charged to public sector employees.
In essence, civilians who work for the FSB are ordinary government clerks. Thus, for example, ordinary accountants and economists have a salary of about 11 thousand rubles. Civil engineers working in corresponding positions in the FSB also have a salary of 11-12 thousand rubles. The same amount is awarded to ordinary personnel officers. If a person holds the position of head of a department in which such civilians work, he receives a salary of 13-16 thousand rubles. Of course, such specialists also receive bonuses for length of service, for intensity of work, etc. But in general, their salary level is lower than that of the military, and corresponds to the income of other federal employees.
Pros and cons of the profession
Pros:
- The first and most important advantage of serving in the FSB is moral satisfaction from work . The actions of the Russian FSB are aimed at protecting the country, and must make a feasible contribution to the common cause, designed to strengthen the country’s position in the world, increase its power and defense capability, the dream of any Russian patriot.
- Opportunity to get the best education in the country . As an organization guarding the security of the country, the FSB pays special attention to the training of personnel. Many FSB employees have several higher educations.
- FSB employees have the opportunity for the highest career growth , an example of this is V.V. Putin, the President of the Russian Federation.
- FSB officers belong to the elite of law enforcement agencies . Their real deeds, which serve to strengthen the country, forever become known to the common man, but the veil of secrecy and the work of propaganda evoke the respect of the citizens of the country. This is a worthy reward for hard work.
- Decent financial reward . The country does not skimp on safety and financial incentives for employees are properly organized.
- The possibility of implementing an intelligence officer in scientific fields . Many scientists are FSB officers. They make their discoveries while in service.
- of high responsibility , for example an FSB officer, is a secret carrier, which increases his importance and self-esteem.
Minuses:
- The FSB of Russia is a military organization , with all the ensuing hardships and deprivations. A person does not belong to himself, he belongs to the service, and he does not have the opportunity to freely choose. He must follow the interests of the service.
- Huge psychological burden . Working for the FSB is working on the wrong side of life, with all its disgusting manifestations. Often, an FSB employee has to perform work that is unnatural for a person, which has a detrimental effect on the employee’s psyche.
- Physical activity is also very high . FSB officers do their work not according to norms and plans, but rather aimed at results. Forces and means are not standardized, which requires serious physical training.
- FSB employees are at increased risk to life and health . Operating in a hostile environment, an FSB officer risks many times more than employees of other law enforcement agencies. The specific nature of the FSB's actions implies increased risks.
- High responsibility , for example, an FSB employee, is a secret carrier, which significantly limits his freedom of action.
FSB Academy: is training mandatory?
It's no secret that graduates of the FSB Academy have advantages when applying for a job, and in the future they are promoted faster. The academy accepts citizens aged 16-22 years old if they have not served in the military, and citizens under 24 years old if they have served in conscription. However, it should be noted that mainly only boys are accepted there, and girls can study exclusively at the Faculty of Foreign Languages. Although in fact, not all faculties there are related specifically to operational work. And in addition to the investigative and counterintelligence faculties, there are, for example, faculties of applied mathematics, information security, special technology, etc.
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In order to enter the academy, you need to submit an application in the prescribed form to the FSB authority at the applicant’s place of residence.
You cannot get a second higher education here. In general, this is one of the most closed institutions in the country, there are no study tours, there are no training courses at the academy, and the level of secrecy generally corresponds to the standards of this service, so simply transferring here from another university will not work. The only chance to ease the admission process is to participate in the so-called diagnostic Olympiads, which are held at the Academy.
In order to study here, you need to be a citizen of Russia. Non-residents study only within the framework of international agreements. Before admission, you must undergo a military medical commission.
You can study at the Academy by correspondence. But this form is only allowed for existing FSB officers. In their case, obtaining an academic diploma provides additional chances to move further up the career ladder.
There is one more nuance. It is not always possible for an applicant to pass a competition specifically for higher education. In this case, he can either graduate from the institute under the secondary education program, that is, in three years, and then after receiving the diploma he will have the rank of warrant officer, or after a year make a second attempt to enter the higher education program. Moreover, if you have a secondary education, an FSB employee will be able to graduate from this university in absentia in the future with a diploma of higher education.
Availability of higher education
If you have a complete higher education, you are awarded the rank of lieutenant. An important point for the further level of income is that studying at an institute is counted towards work experience, that is, in the service, length of service will immediately be considered at least 2.5-3 years, or even 5 years (with higher education). The first two years of the institute count as a year of military service, and in the third year a contract is signed with students and they are paid a salary of 16 thousand rubles.
After graduation, graduates are assigned to units in accordance with their specialty. Excellent students have the privilege of being able to choose their own place of service, so they have an incentive to study well.
Benefits and bonuses
In addition to the salary, there are quarterly and annual bonuses, as well as allowances for travel allowances, length of service, rank, performance of particularly important tasks, etc. Sometimes all additional allowances are two or three times the salary, and the salary exceeds the 100,000 ruble mark.
For example, if you take into account the allowance for explosive disposal and parachute jumping (+50%), personnel management (+20%), diving (+50%), meeting the flight hours plan (+70%), the figure increases rapidly, and the salary of the FSB representative is already able to compete on the world stage.
Pension of an FSB officer
The FSB agency has been assigned the military category, so employees receive not only decent benefits and allowances during their service, but also an increase in their pension. Length of service is taken into account, as well as the complexity of the work done. In the event of physical damage occurring during work, this factor is taken into account when determining monetary compensation and wages.
The pension benefit is calculated as follows:
- An accrual of 69.45% is carried out if the length of service is 20 years or more. Then for each year an additional 3% is added. The limit is 85%
- In the second category, attention is paid not only to length of service, but also to the size of the total length of service. Starting from 2021, the amount of monetary allowance increased by 1%.
Increase in salaries in the FSB
Back in 2018, many media reported that the government plans to significantly increase salaries for border guards and other FSB employees. Exact figures were not given at that time, and later the department officially informed that it had the intention to ensure an increase in the income of employees only within the limits necessary to cover inflation, the amount of which the Central Bank is obliged to establish.
Thus, the federal budget for 2021 included an indexation for FSB officers of 4.3 percent. Next year, 2021, the increase is likely to be limited to 3.8%. However, it is worth considering that these figures are only a forecast, which means they may be adjusted later.
At the same time, one important nuance should be understood: the change will affect only the salary (both official and by rank) that this or that FSB officer receives. The size of the allowances will not be changed.
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Education
To master the profession of “Federal Security Service (FSB) Officer”, a higher professional education is required.
Law universities in St. Petersburg:
- St. Petersburg State University;
- St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University;
- St. Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation.
Law universities in Moscow:
- Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov;
- National Research University Higher School of Economics;
- Moscow State Technical University named after N. E. Bauman.
How to get a job
The requirements for applicants applying for a vacancy can be called quite stringent. This is explained by the high responsibility of an FSB officer and the need to deal with important information during working hours, the disclosure of which is not allowed.
It is mandatory for relatives to sign a number of documents stipulating that in the event of the death of an applicant for service, they will not find out the reasons for what happened and will limit themselves to the officially announced version.
One of the main characteristics inherent in a future FSB employee is Russian citizenship. Women can also apply for employment; they are predominantly employed in record keeping. It is not uncommon for girls to work as medical workers in special forces or border troops of the FSB.
Fewer demands are placed on the fair half of humanity. For example, men must have completed compulsory military service under conscription and a diploma confirming completion of a higher educational institution. Women only need to study at a university, after which they automatically receive the position of warrant officer.
Due to the fact that the work involves the actual and secondary protection of the borders of the Russian Federation, as well as maintaining the integrity of the political regime, the applicant is checked by the internal security service. Moreover, an ideal pedigree is not a guarantee of employment, since in this situation not only the life history of the candidate, but also his relatives are taken into account.
First of all, a candidate for the Federal Service undergoes a test of mental state, level of intellectual development, adequacy in emergency situations, type of thinking, personal direction and characteristics.
Medical testing identifies possible drug and alcohol use. Those applying for contract work also undergo verification.
Verification of identity and close relatives is carried out within two to three months. During this time, the internal security service “pushes” the candidate, close relatives and entourage for involvement in drugs, violations of the Criminal Code, contacts with foreign citizens or companies.
If no deviations or restrictions are identified, the applicant is invited to a re-interview with subsequent employment.
Gender issue
It should be noted that for contract service it is not necessary to have a higher education; simply serving in the army is enough - it is a prerequisite for men. As for women, a necessary condition for them is to have a university diploma in the relevant field. But for women the requirements for the level of physical fitness are lower. As a rule, women work at border control - it is believed that due to their greater attentiveness and pedantry, they cope better with paperwork. Many female border guards work in support services, there are female dog handlers and service dog instructors, and paramedics (but this requires secondary medical education). But women rarely work directly in security units, where higher physical endurance is required. It is also believed that only men can be drivers at outposts.
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What to expect in 2021
As for 2021, there are no plans to increase salaries for intelligence officers this year.
It should be noted that there is currently also a project on a monthly allowance for FSB employees, which is planned to be introduced at the beginning of 2021, which could significantly affect the income of FSB employees. It will be calculated based on the official salary, tariff rate and paid monthly along with wages. At the same time, the size of the bonus may vary depending on the complexity, importance and speed of the tasks performed.
Peculiarities of work in the FSB bodies
It should be noted that in the future, regardless of what specific job responsibilities are assigned to the employee, there are a number of prohibitions that apply to all categories:
- Entrepreneurial activity is prohibited (but you can be a member of a non-profit organization, for example, a charity, and free of charge),
- You cannot not only engage in business, but also assist other persons in conducting such activities,
- You cannot serve in the FSB and at the same time engage in other types of commercial activities, except creative, scientific or pedagogical. And even then the latter should be paid only at the expense of Russian business entities, and not foreign investors,
- Under no circumstances should you post in the media, on social networks, or on other information platforms information about yourself or other FSB employees that could reveal their affiliation with this service,
- You cannot use any state property for any purpose not related to official duties,
- Royalties for publications related to work are prohibited.
- You cannot receive gifts, and we are talking not only about money and some material assets, but even simply about paying for transportation costs, preferential loan terms, or paying for some kind of entertainment,
- You cannot travel abroad on vacation (this requirement appeared relatively recently, after the events of 2014). At the same time, FSB officers can go on business trips abroad if we are talking about work within the framework of some international treaties,
- You cannot use your official position to promote the interests of any associations, be they political parties or religious organizations,
- You cannot hold a military position if a person was elected to local government, to an elective position in a trade union, etc.,
- You cannot purchase securities with conditions for receiving income from them,
- You cannot disclose any information of a confidential nature, even if it does not fall under the definition of state secret,
- Any public value judgments should not be made, including in relation to the government or any political parties,
- You cannot use administrative resources for election campaigning,
- You cannot open accounts in foreign banks.
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By the way, family members of FSB employees can engage in business. At least there are no formal prohibitions on this. But, of course, the employees themselves still do not have the right to contribute in any way to the running of this business. How much this corresponds to popular ideas about how the security forces “protect” business is another question.
Summing up
Today in Moscow there are discussions about increasing the average salary of FSB officers. We are talking about strengthening the increased coefficient for completing particularly important tasks. And also about increasing the income of mid- and senior-level specialists in order to improve their living conditions after completing their careers.
The purpose of the FSB's actions is always aimed at increasing the state power of Russia and protecting the existing political regime. This condition is one of the key ones in shaping the prestige of employment, as well as when the earnings received by department employees are determined.
