Recruiting and hiring employees in Russia is arguably the most important part of an expansion. Companies have to meet Russia’s strict employment compliance laws to continue working in the country, and you need to find the right employees who will grow your company. However, it can feel difficult to focus on hiring when you’re also dealing with the many facets of growing a business.
G-P understands these challenges and can mitigate them through Russia hiring outsourcing. We’ll source talented candidates for your open positions, then onboard them using our existing subsidiary to help them start working faster. Best of all, you won’t have to worry about compliance, as we’ll act as the Employer of Record.
Recruiting in Russia
As Russia experiences greater economic success, you’ll want to handle recruiting and staffing tasks while focusing on compliance to capitalize on the market. Currently, the country has a lack of educated and highly skilled workers, forcing many companies to turn to international employees or stay persistent throughout the hiring process.
One important way to find talented candidates is through networking. Vkontakte is the equivalent of Facebook, and it’s the largest social media networking site in the country. Recruiters use this platform to connect with job candidates. LinkedIn is another popular option for job seekers and recruiters, as well as Odnoklassniki (OK) and Moi Mir. Some common online job boards include:
- Headhunter
- SuperJob
- Zarplata
- Rabota.ru
- Career.ru
As of January 1 2022, employers need to advertise all vacancies on the government’s Work in Russia portal.
Laws Against Discrimination in Russia
Russia’s Labor Code prohibits discrimination based on sex, race, language, social or family status, age, place of residence, religion, political views, or anything else unrelated to the candidate’s professional qualities. If you fail to look at candidates’ professional qualities exclusively, an individual could take legal action if they’re refused employment in favor of another candidate. A candidate can also request that you give them a written explanation of your motives for not choosing them.
Other discrimination laws to adhere to when you’re staffing your Russian business follow:
- You cannot refuse to hire a woman based on pregnancy or the existence of dependent children.
- You cannot disseminate information about vacancies that contain discriminatory restrictions, or you will be held liable.
- Salaries must depend on an individual’s qualifications and the complexity, quantity, and quality of work done.
- Mandatory provisions exist for the employment of women, students, minors, single parents, retired individuals, veterans, and other groups.
How to Hire Employees in Russia
Russia has strict labor laws grounded in the country’s communist roots. Regulations favor employees, and socialism means there’s a focus on an employee’s well-being instead of business growth. Employers should recognize the high levels of red tape, strict disciplinary process, substantial paperwork, and more involved in complying with local labor laws.
You also need a strong fixed- or indefinite-term employment contract in the local language to hire Russian employees. Both your employment contract and offer letter should include compensation amounts in rubles. Legally, the contract needs to include certain information and terms about employment, including:
- Names of the employee and employer
- Place of work
- Job details and start date
- Terms of remuneration
- Working hours
- Holidays
- Social insurance
- Occupational hazards protection
There should be two signed copies of the employment contract – one for the employee and one for the employer. After signing the employment contract, any changes must be made in writing and agreed to by both parties.
Russia Employment Laws
Russia’s employment compliance laws include working hours that every employee must follow. The standard workweek is 40 hours, and employees must provide written consent to work overtime. Any overtime should not exceed four hours over two consecutive days or 120 hours per year. You should include these terms in the employment contract, as well as how much you will compensate for overtime.
As of February 2023, the Russian government introduced a vaccination requirement for foreign workers. Employers must be able to provide evidence that their foreign national employees are vaccinated against measles if they have not contracted it previously.
Onboarding in Russia
Once you hire Russian employees, you need to obtain certain documents to onboard them and meet the country’s employment compliance laws. Employees should have a passport and Russian work visa if they’re from a foreign country, as well as educational documents and a retirement insurance certificate.
Since every company operates differently, you should create an onboarding process that works for you. Make sure you provide job training that will help employees stay comfortable, and review the employment contract and other important documents during your employee’s first week.
Benefits of Hiring Outsourcing in Russia
One of the complications of learning how to hire Russian employees is that you have to set up a subsidiary first. Your location and entity will both impact how long it takes to incorporate, and it could be a few months before you’re ready to hire and onboard employees.
Instead of spending your time establishing a subsidiary and potentially losing top talent, take advantage of the fact that G-P can help you hire Russian employees without an incorporated entity. As a global PEO, we can use our existing subsidiary to offer Russia hiring outsourcing. When you work with us, you can start operating faster, and your employees will have a great hiring experience.
Work With G-P To Expand Globally
G-P wants to help you expand across borders. Contact us today to learn more about Russia hiring outsourcing.