RUSSIA – Salary notifications for highly qualified specialists to be submitted by 31 July 2018
Employers of highly qualified specialists (HQS) have until 31 July 2018 to notify the migration authorities of salaries paid to these foreign national employees in the second quarter of 2018 (1 April to 30 June 2018).
Quarterly notifications must be made to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) within 30 days of the end of each quarter.
The reported salary amount should be no less than the minimum level established for HQS:
- RUB 167,000 per calendar month;
- RUB 501,000 per quarter (if there was a break in work during the reported period).
Penalties
Non-notification or violation of the established notification procedure leads to the following administrative fines on the employer:
- on officials – from RUB 35,000 to RUB 70,000;
- on legal entities – from RUB 400,000 to RUB 1,000,000.
Failure to pay the salary in the minimum amount established for HQS:
- Ban on the company employing new HQS employees for two years.
What is the Highly Qualified Specialist Program?
The Highly Qualified Specialist (HQS) program was introduced in 2010 and allows companies in Russia to employ foreign national workers for up to three years (renewable) with various benefits including a simplified application process and exemption from quotas.
Action Items
- Employers of highly qualified specialists in Russia should ensure they make the quarterly notification before the deadline.
