Import of highly-skilled foreign professionals for Russian companies

On 6 July 2010 a round table discussion entitled “Role and Place of the Talent Pool in Russia’s Modernisation” was held within the scope of “Modernisation Week”, the forum and exhibition for the modernisation of economic relations, organised on the initiative of the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The invited expert Julia Borozdna, Head of Employment and Migration Practice, Pepeliaev Group, delivered a speech at the round table on the “Import of highly skilled foreign professionals for Russian companies”.

In her speech Julia Borozdna noted that “despite amendments to legislation effective since 1 July 2010, which simplified the employment of highly-skilled foreign nationals, further improvements to legislation in this area are required”.

According to experts from Pepeliaev Group, the legislators should:
- Further simplify the issue of work permits for certain categories of professionals most in demand;
- Expand the list of companies that may employ highly skilled foreign professionals, using the simplified procedure (representative offices of foreign companies should be included in this list)
- Bring the skills reference manual into line with the requirements of the new environment
- Simplify the procedure governing the residence and travel of foreign nationals and their families in Russia (inter alia, simplify migration registration, cancel or relax restrictions on business trips, etc.) and adopt a number of other measures.

In addition, Julia Borozdna believes that all regional agencies of the Federal Migration Service should develop a coordinated position on the application of legislation regulating the work of expatriates and thus improve law enforcement practice.

The round table was attended by more than 120 representatives of leading Russian and foreign companies (United Aircraft Corporation, RusHydro, IBM East Europe/Asia, IMPERIA KADROV, etc.), mass media, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and state agencies. The participants in the round table debated ways to resolve such issues as the development of techniques to involve “professional teams” in mentoring programmes, identified top-priority tasks for all individuals involved in the training of innovative personnel, discussed issues relating to involvement of the members of the talent pool in expert councils for innovation and modernisation processes and programmes. According to the participants, the development of techniques for involving “professional teams” in mentoring programmes, the sharing of positive experience and implementation of other proposed projects should heighten the role and clarify the place of the talent pool in the country’s development.

The proposals of the participants in the round table discussion, including Julia Borozdna and Andrey Slepov from Pepeliaev Group, have been included in the resolution of the Forum “Matrix of Modernisation”. This resolution contains solutions and constructive recommendations relating to the most important areas of the country’s economic and business life, which will be used in the decisions and resolutions of the Russian Government and the Russian State Duma, as well as in the Annual Messages of the Russian President to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.