Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 15, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 15, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleRussia has unveiled a digital service—“Time to live in Russia”—to attract foreign talent amid labor shortages worsened by war-driven military recruitment, emigration and civilian sector strain.
MOSCOW, April 15 (Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry said it has launched a digital service allowing foreigners to apply to live and work in the country, according to a post on social media platform X on Wednesday.
The country has faced acute labour shortages across multiple sectors since the start of the war in Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands joined the military, while defence industries have drawn workers away from civilian enterprises.
The country has also seen an outflow of workers since 2022, with many leaving Russia amid tighter political controls and restrictions following the start of the war.
The programme, "Time to live in Russia", targets foreigners with "in-demand skills" who show "respect" for what it called "traditional Russian values", the ministry added on X.
However, the ministry's post linked to a website that on Wednesday returned an "error 404 – page not found" message.
Eligible applicants include scientists, entrepreneurs, athletes, creative professionals, talented students and graduates, investors and other specialists deemed in demand, the website explaining the programme said.
According to the "Time to live in Russia" website, applicants must submit an application and a short CV, provide documents confirming their qualifications, undergo an online interview and await a decision, with a maximum review period of 125 days.
Successful applicants are assigned a personal manager to assist with visas, border procedures and accommodation.
(Reporting by Reuters, Writing by Anna Peverieri;Editing by Keith Weir)
It is a new digital service allowing skilled foreigners to apply to live and work in Russia.
Eligible applicants include scientists, entrepreneurs, athletes, creative professionals, students, graduates, investors, and other in-demand specialists.
Applicants must submit an application, a short CV, qualification documents, and complete an online interview.
The maximum review period for applications is 125 days.
Russia faces labour shortages due to military mobilization, increased demand in defense industries, and a significant outflow of workers since 2022.
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