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Russia to ease migration laws for highly-skilled professionals - paper

© RIA Novosti . Ilya PitalevThe lower house of the Russian parliament. Archive
The lower house of the Russian parliament. Archive - Sputnik International
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The lower house of the Russian parliament will consider in its second hearing on Friday amendments to a bill on easing entry and work permit procedures for highly-qualified professionals, a business daily said on Wednesday.

The lower house of the Russian parliament will consider in its second hearing on Friday amendments to a bill on easing entry and work permit procedures for highly-qualified professionals, a business daily said on Wednesday.

Vedomosti quoted the Russian Economy Ministry as saying that the bill is a part of a program to improve the country's investment climate. The modernization of the country's economy is one of the key policies initiated by President Dmitry Medvedev.

The paper said foreign specialists will have the right to work in Russia regardless of Federal Migration Service (FMS) quotas. In order to receive a three-year work permit they will only need confirmation from their employer of their position. The work permits can be extended every three years.

Work permits are currently valid for one year.

Under the bill, a highly-skilled professional is considered a person who receives a salary of no less than 2 million rubles ($67,000) a year.

Together with the work permits, foreign specialists and their families will also receive residency permits.

Highly-skilled specialists will pay 13% tax, the rate for Russians, instead of the current 30 % for foreigners who are not tax residents.

According to Vedomosti, Russian companies welcome the upcoming changes. However, the CEO of leading Russian mobile retailer Euroset, Alexander Malis, told Vedomosti the 2-million wage rate is too high, adding that it is possible to find good specialists abroad for 1.5 million rubles a year.

FMS spokesman Konstantin Poltoranin denied the amendments to the migration law were connected with Russia's new high-tech research and production center of Skolkovo, near Moscow.

MOSCOW, May 5 (RIA Novosti)

 

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