Matvey Levant, managing partner Levant & partners law firm
Substantial alterations were entered into legislation on the procedure of entrance of foreign citizens in Russia. From the 15th of January, 2007 the conditions of employment of foreigners and the requirements to the employers were sumplified. Thus, migration registration was substituted by migration recording and from now on it is available upon notification of duly athorities but not upon obtaining their permission as it earlier. Procedure of obtaining of work permits also exposed to new regulation.
Formely the employee had to find a job at first and then his employer would have to apply for work permit. From now on the amployee applies to migration athorities by himself and the latter are not entitled to reject such an application. Together with that penalties for violation of the new migration rules encreased several times. Therewith new legislation establishes a limited quota of foreign employees in retail trade. For our foreign partners such alternatives are interesting because they will have possibilities to initiate business activities in Russia and hire foreign employees more promptly.