Highly Skilled Migrants

BUSINESS VISAS TO HIGHLY SKILLED MIGRANTS (HSM)

In accordance with article 13/2 of the Federal Law № 86 of 19 May 2010 "The alteration in the Federal Law "Legal position of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation" and other legislative acts of the Russian Federation" since 1 July 2010 Russian Consulates process applications and grant visas to foreign citizens claiming to be highly skilled specialists in accordance with the following:

Foreign citizen may apply to the Federal Immigration Service of the Russian Federation / Russian Consulate with the intention to work as a highly skilled specialist.

Special application form (~CV) is filled in Russian language either legibly handwritten or printed. This information about the applicant is to be placed on the website of the Federal Immigration Service of the Russian Federation (http://www.fms.gov.ru/)

The following information should be provided in the application form:

•passport data in Russian and in Latin letters (as in passport);

•information confirming the experience of the foreign citizen, his/her skills or achievements in a specific field;

•application should contain information on recommendations if any, confirming expert knowledge and qualification;

•consent to include the information provided by the applicant to the data base within the state system of recording migration as well as consent to forward these personal details to employers and sponsors on the territory of the Russian Federation that has to be confirmed by signature.

All names should be written in full, without abbreviations and corrections.

A business visa (please see Business Visas) for the foreign citizen is then granted on the basis of an invitation to enter the Russian Federation for relevant talks, provided for the foreign citizen by an employer or a sponsor.

The invitation has to include the following information (in Russian):

a) job vacancy that the highly skilled migrant is invited to fill as well as conditions of labour and social support;

b) on the invited person:

•first name, family name in Russian and Latin letters as in passport, as well as the date of birth, sex, citizenship, passport number.

c) on the inviting side:

•full name of the legal entity being the employer or contractor;

•legal or actual address of the legal entity;

•taxpayer number and Tax Registration Reason Code;

•Primary State Registration Number (PSRN).

For branches (representative offices) of foreign companies in the Russian Federation, information about their registration in the country of incorporation should be provided.

d) expected date of entry to the Russian Federation and itinerary of travel.

The invitation has to be signed by the director or his deputy and certified by the seal of the legal entity.

The applicant should present a bank statement in no longer than one month which has a current balance of a minimum of 15.000 NZD.

Upon arrival in Russia and signing of the contract, the highly skilled migrant is granted a new multiple-entry work visa.

Visas for members of the family of a highly skilled migrants are issued in accordance with the existing procedure based on the original visa support letter issued by the Federal Immigration Service.

In case the employment agreement or civil law contract is not concluded, the migrant has to leave the Russian Federation before the date of expiry of his business visa.