Moscow: Russia is preparing a major change that could make it easier for skilled professionals from India to live and work in the country. Beginning April next year, Moscow will introduce a new Skill Visa, a programme designed to bring qualified workers into the Russian workforce and offer them a pathway to long-term residency.
For thousands of Indians already working there and many more who dream of a job abroad, this move is expected to come as welcome news. India and Russia have shared decades of strong ties, and the announcement is being seen as another extension of that relationship.
Putin Clears New Visa Plan
According to a report in The Economic Times, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the order for the Skill Visa shortly before his state visit to India for the bilateral summit. The initiative is meant to support the two mobility agreements signed by both countries during the meeting last week.
Once launched, the visa will allow foreign professionals from fields such as science, economics, industry, education, culture, business and sports to enter Russia without needing to clear an immigration quota or pass a Russian-language test.
The visa offers three years of temporary residency, and individuals working in certain priority categories will qualify directly for permanent residency.
How The New Skill Visa Will Work
A person familiar with the framework described the scheme as a two-step process. “In the first stage, the applicant must apply to a designated agency. If the agency finds the candidate suitable for the programme, the second step involves submitting an application to immigration authorities for temporary or permanent residency,” the person explained.
Approval from the agency will remain valid for one year. During this period, applicants must file their residency request with the immigration office.
The application to the agency can be submitted digitally from the applicant’s home country. Once approved, the applicant and their family members will be issued a one-year business visa, allowing them to travel to Russia and file their residency paperwork.
A relief for applicants is that they can work in Russia even while their residency request is still being processed, and they will not need a separate work permit.
Most applications, officials say, are expected to be processed within 30 days.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
