In 2007, BlueSteps.com reported of an executive talent shortage throughout Russia and Eastern Europe. This was addressed by bringing in expats at 73% and placing inexperienced local employees under their tutelage at 27%. To top it off, the 2009 Expat Explorer survey named Russian expats as the world's highest paid at 30%, followed by Hong Kong at 27 %, Japan at 26%, Switzerland and India both at 25%.
Aside from the $250,000 or more per annum take-home pay, expats in Russia enjoy paid work-permit costs, rent or 2-3 annual flights back home if the family turns down the offer to move, private car for the spouse and tuition fees for the children.
Sadly, around 70 percent of the expat workforce holding mid-level managerial posts in the banking, real estate and retail sectors was laid off during early 2009. The remaining 30 percent hold executive posts. However, reports indicate that a number of expats who lost their jobs remained in Russia. In fact, many that stayed long enough and learned the local language decided to wait until the crisis is over or explore other work opportunities within the region. For those who returned home, many plan to come back to continue their working life abroad.
In spite of job losses, the export of natural resources such as oil, natural gas, timber and metals remains strong. The tobacco industry may be affected by the depression, but they still have vacancies for marketing, sales, finance and human resources. McDonald's also announced they are preparing to open 40 new restaurants throughout the country.
However, there seems to be a scarcity of opportunities for expats seeking gap years or volunteer work.
Working Conditions
The working week in Russia is 5 days from Monday to Friday and comprises 40 hours for men and 36 hours for women. Business hours in Russia are from 09:00AM to 06:00PM for offices and 09:00AM to 10:00PM for service bureaus; hours may vary depending on the nature of the occupation. Overtime is paid at 1.5 rate for the first 2 hours then 2.0 for the succeeding hours.
Employees in Russia are entitled to 28 days paid holiday and 11 days paid public holiday, amounting to a total of 39 days per year. Employees situated in the Extreme North region get an additional 16 days paid holiday, making a total of 55 days per year. They are also entitled to paid sick leave ranging from 60 percent to 80 percent of the salary. Women are also entitled to paid maternity leave from 70 to 84 days before and 70 to 110 days after childbirth.
More Expat Resources
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
PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iZ3VpZGUiPgoJPGgzPlJ1c3NpYSBFeHBhdCBOZXdzbGV0dGVyPC9oMz4KCTxwPlJlY2VpdmUgeW91ciBuZXdzbGV0dGVyIG5vdyB0byBrZWVwIGluIHRvdWNoIHdpdGggdGhlIGV4cGF0IGNvbW11bml0eSBhbmQgYmUgdGhlIGZpcnN0IHRvIGtub3cgb2Ygb3BlbmluZ3MgIGFuZCBob3cgdG8gbWFrZSB0aGUgbW9zdCBvZiB5b3VyIGxpZmUgaW4gUnVzc2lhPC9wPgoJPGZvcm0gb25zdWJtaXQ9InJldHVybiBmcm1NeU5ld3NDZW50ZXIoKTsiIG5hbWU9ImZybV9jZW50ZXIiIGlkPSJmcm1fY2VudGVyIiBhY3Rpb249Ii4vbmV3c2xldHRlciIgbWV0aG9kPSJwb3N0Ij4KCQk8aW5wdXQgdHlwZT0idGV4dCIgbmFtZT0iZW1haWwiIGlkPSJlbWFpbCIgdmFsdWU9IlR5cGUgeW91ciBlbWFpbCIgY2xhc3M9ImZvY3VzSW5wdXQiIHdpZHRoPSIyNTAiIG9uZm9jdXM9ImphdmFzY3JpcHQ6Zm9jdXNFbWFpbENlbnRlcih0aGlzKTsiPgoJCTxpbnB1dCB0eXBlPSJoaWRkZW4iIG5hbWU9ImZyb21fcmlnaHQiIGlkPSJmcm9tX3JpZ2h0IiB2YWx1ZT0iMSI+CgkJPGlucHV0IHR5cGU9ImltYWdlIiBzcmM9Ii4vaW1hZ2VzL2JvdXRvbnMvc2lnbl91cC5wbmciIGFsdD0iU2lnbi11cCIgY2xhc3M9ImJvdXRvbiI+CgkJPGRpdiBjbGFzcz0ic2VwYXJhdGlvbiI+PC9kaXY+Cgk8L2Zvcm0+CjwvZGl2Pg==
PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iaXRlbSBibG9jX2ltYWdlIiBzdHlsZT0iYmFja2dyb3VuZDp1cmwoaHR0cDovL2hvbWUuZXhwYXRmaW5kZXIuY29tL2RhdGEvaW1ncy9jbXMvcnViMTBfMTMyMjIxMzY0Njc2NjI2MzAwLnBuZykgbm8tcmVwZWF0ICNGMkYyRjI7YmFja2dyb3VuZC1wb3NpdGlvbjozMHB4IDIwcHg7Ij4NCgk8aDM+Q29udGFjdCBhIE1vdmUgQWdlbnQgdG9kYXk8L2gzPg0KCTxkaXYgY2xhc3M9ImRlc2NyaXB0aW9uIj5Zb3Ugc3RpbGwgaGF2ZW4ndCBmb3VuZCB3aGF0IHlvdSBhcmUgbG9va2luZyBmb3I/IENvbnRhY3QgYSBtb3ZlIGFnZW50IHRvZGF5IHRvIGhlbHAgYW5zd2VyIHlvdXIgZXZlcnkgcXVlc3Rpb24gd2hlbiByZWxvY2F0aW5nIGluIFJ1c3NpYTwvZGl2Pg0KCTxkaXYgY2xhc3M9ImNsaWNrYm91dG9uIj4NCgkJPGEgY2xhc3M9ImJ1dHRvbiBiY3NfYjE0MF80NSBmMTQiICBocmVmPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmV4cGF0ZmluZGVyLmNvbS9jb250YWN0LXVzIj48c3Bhbj5Db250YWN0IG5vdyE8L3NwYW4+PC9hPg0KCTwvZGl2Pg0KCTxkaXYgY2xhc3M9InNlcGFyYXRpb24iPiZuYnNwOzwvZGl2Pg0KPC9kaXY+DQoNCg==
