Russia announced Wednesday that it will facilitate residence permits for foreign computer scientists to alleviate the shortage of these highly qualified professionals, many of whom left the country after the offensive in Ukraine began. According to the Russian Minister of Digital Development, Maskut Shadaiev, “about 100,000” computer scientists left the country last year.
“A foreign computer scientist working in an accredited IT company, as well as members of his family (…) have the right to obtain a residence permit in the Russian Federation in a simplified form,” a head of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Irina Volk, said in a video posted on social networks.
Russia was once an attractive country for computer scientists, but the beginning of the military intervention in Ukraine sparked a real exodus. Most of them settled in the Caucasus countries, such as Armenia or Georgia, as well as in Turkey, Serbia, Israel and the United States.
From these countries, some continue to work remotely for Russian companies. Others do so for local companies in their respective host countries. In parallel to this, several foreign technology companies, such as the American Apple, abandoned the Russian market, under the pressure of international sanctions adopted against Moscow.
Volk indicated on Wednesday that “the deadline for examining a request for a residence permit is three months” for computer scientists wishing to settle in Russia. For this, it will be enough for them to provide the Russian authorities with a valid work contract and the qualifications obtained in the sector, the official detailed.
AFP
