Russia
The Russian economy was hit hard by the 2008 - 2009 global economic crisis as oil prices dropped and as foreign credit that Russian banks and firms relied on disappeared. The decline seems to have levelled out and there have been signs that the economy is growing once again.
Opportunities in Russia include teaching English or working for an international firm. It is more likely for graduates to join a large international company such as the organisations mentioned above, and be transferred by request to working in Russia, than it is to find a graduate job in Russia by applying to Russian firms.
Jobs can be found through personal contacts, agencies or organisations based in the UK, or through job advertisements in the Russian local and national press, as well as websites. A great number of job vacancies are advertised online in Russia, so you can apply from anywhere in the world as long as you are willing to arrange travel should you reach the interview stage. (It is unlikely that costs will be reimbursed.)
If you choose to target recruitment agencies for getting a job in Russia, you will usually need to be qualified and experienced. Most agencies that recruit international applicants request a CV in English to be sent by email or completed on their website.
Networking is an essential skill for job hunting in Russia. Developing and using personal contacts should be an important part of your strategy.
Although some multinational companies use online application forms, a CV and covering letter is the most typical way of applying for an advertised job. The Russian covering letter is an integral part of your job application, and is often a more important tool than the CV for convincing an employer. The style should be formal without appearing too persistent, and it should refer to your present and future plans. Handwritten covering letters are acceptable, but a typed letter is preferable - either way, the letter should always end with a signature.
The CV needs to be a marketing tool and very detailed, with reference to your level of oral and written knowledge of Russian and other languages. Russian employers will expect a full biography written in full sentences, outlining all of your relevant achievements and experiences. Computer literacy and expertise are highly desirable for Russian employers, so detail any relevant assets you have.
Advice on CVs and application methods is available from the various recruitment agencies in Russia, such as The Russian Connection, Job.ru and those agencies in the UK specialising in Russian opportunities. Most information is in Russian, but some is also available in English.
There are no rules regarding how many interviews will be held, although it is usually more than one. As in the UK, the type of interview also varies depending on the industry and competition for the vacancy, so if you are not sure whether to expect a panel interview or an informal talk with a future boss, you can call the company to get more information.
If you wish to compare your professional, vocational or technical qualifications with Russian qualifications, you can consult the ENIC-NARIC for information on comparability of your academic qualifications.
Permanent residents (defined as anyone living in Russia for at least 183 days in any calendar tax year) are required to pay tax on their earnings in Russia and overseas, while non-residents working in Russia only have to pay tax on their income earned in Russia.
If you are planning to live and work in Russia, check your UK tax and National Insurance position with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to ensure that you are not losing any UK pension rights.
There are always jobs for qualified English teachers within the many language schools. Many just offer part-time jobs and don’t pay particularly well, so teachers often work for several different schools at the same time.
For opportunities in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) you should contact organisations operating from the UK such as:
Networking is an essential skill to have when job hunting in Russia. Alongside looking at job advertisements in the local and national press, developing and using personal contacts should be an important part of your job-hunting strategy.
If you are in Russia, involvement with expat groups can help yield information on vacancies.
Russia does not have many work experience opportunities for foreigners considering work experience there. Almost all the available schemes are for teaching English, and opportunities to take paid or voluntary work in conservation or local communities are scarce. If you wish to gain experience in areas such as journalism, law, medicine, tourism, voluntary and non-governmental organisations, check for short-term opportunities with an organisation that has a branch in your own country first.
There is a high demand for English teachers in Russia. Most teaching positions ask for a TEFL qualification, and are in schools in large towns and cities, however teaching in villages is possible. GeoVisions offer live-in teaching opportunities, where native English speaking foreigners are given a family to live with, in exchange for teaching them English for 15 hours per week.
Language Link offer placements as teacher interns for those who wish to teach in Russia without holding a TEFL qualification.
The following companies arrange teaching placements abroad:
A number of links to organisations running volunteer projects in Russia can be found at Volunteer Abroad.
Due to visa regulations and the Russian post-communist work culture, turning up to find casual work in Russia is not recommended, unless you have arranged something in advance.
There are a number of international gap year companies that organise placements in Russia. The Overseas Job Centre has an extensive A-Z list of contacts and articles for gap year opportunities around the world. Real Gap have four schemes in St Petersburg, and Gap Year Directory have opportunities in Russia. Have a look at gap year for more general advice and links to gap year providers.
Russia has more academic graduates than anywhere else in Europe. In the past few years, higher education qualifications have reformed and are comparable to the European system.
The first degree is the Bakalavr (Bachelor) degree. The Bakalavrs degree is awarded in all fields except medicine, which takes six years. Once students have obtained the Baklavr degree they are able to study for a specialist diploma or a Magistrs (Masters) degree.
The Magistrs (Masters) degree is awarded after successful completion of two years' full-time study. Students must carry out a year of research including practice. They must also prepare and defend a thesis which constitutes an original contribution to research and sit for final examinations.
This does count as postgraduate study as in most other countries. Postgraduate education is studied at a university or scientific institute and consists of two parts: the Kandidat Nauk (Candidate of Sciences) and the Doctor Nauk (Doctor of Sciences).
The Candidate of Sciences degree normally requires at least three years of study beyond graduation from a university level higher education institution and the award of the Specialist or the Magistr diploma. The Doctor of Sciences degree can be earned after a period of further study following the award of the Candidate of Sciences degree. In reality, to earn a Doctor of Sciences degree requires five to fifteen years beyond the award of the Candidate of Sciences degree.
There has been a growth in vocationally orientated postgraduate courses, including MBAs. Many of these have links with Western institutions. Russian graduates are also keen to engage in postgraduate study abroad, particularly in business-related courses. It is fairly unusual for Western graduates to enter postgraduate study in Russia.
Most Russian higher education institutions have websites and another good starting point for your research is Russia on the Net.
A database of all higher education institutes that allow international students is available at Education in Russia.
A list of the top 100 institutes in Russia is published by Huazhong University overseas university listings. To find out where Russian universities rank internationally, see Top Universities.
The general prerequisites for admission to postgraduate study are completion of a full course of study at a university level higher education institution and award of a specialist diploma or of the Magistr degree. The institution will also want to see proof of creative thinking in practical work or study.
UK undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are recognised in Russia, but you will need to submit an application and degree certificate (original or certified copy) to the Ministry for General and Professional Education. See Education in Russia for more information regarding recognition of credentials.
Although some institutions offer courses taught in English, most universities require international students to be able to speak a high standard of Russian, and applicants must take a language test before being accepted onto a course, or take a one-year preparatory course, which includes training for the Test of Russian as a Foreign Language (TORFL).
Passing the TORFL 1 will allow applicants admission to a higher education institution, but TORFL 2 is required to apply for a Bachelors or Masters degree. The TORFL 3 and 4 are only necessary if applying for linguistics courses. See Study Russian for details of Russian language courses at Moscow State University , but many others are available.
Application deadlines vary between institutions, so you must contact the foreign officer at the university to which you wish to apply (see below).
Applications are made directly to the university you wish to apply to. It is important to contact the institute’s foreign officer about all aspects of the application. The database at Education in Russia has the contact details of each foreign officer for all the institutions.
The final application will include proof of previous qualifications and grades (preferably translated into Russian), a copy of your passport, and a completed application form. The educational institution will then decide whether you can be enrolled to acquire the qualification you have chosen. If successful, the institution is responsible for sending a visa invitation (see visa and immigration), and notifying you of any paperwork required for entry to the university.
Fees for international students vary from £1,500 and £5,000 per annum, depending on the course and institution.
Russian institutions have a statutory obligation to provide accommodation for students, and so the price of halls of residence is included in most tuition fees. Living costs after this are between £100 and £150 per month.
Each year the Russian Federation awards a number of state scholarships to students from foreign countries in accordance with specifically defined quotas. A state scholarship covers all education-related expenditure including tuition fees, hall of residence rent, and medical care. Further conditions for applying for a state scholarship are available at Education in Russia.
There are few exchange programmes between UK and Russian universities, and no ERASMUS schemes or similar. Most exchange programmes are arranged through UK universities for degree-level language students only.
Russia is a member of ENIC-NARIC , a network of national centres that aims to improve academic recognition of diplomas and periods of study in European Union (EU) member states, EEA countries and associated countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Check with UK National Reference Point for Vocational Qualifications (NRP) or UK NARIC (National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom) to see how Russian qualifications compare to UK equivalents.
All foreign nationals need a visa to travel to the Russian Federation. You cannot enter Russia without a tourist, student or business visa. It is crucial that you follow the guidelines issued by the Russian Consulate in London. If your stay in Russia is to be longer than two to three days, your passport must be registered and stamped at the local office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs within one week of arrival.
Once you are in Russia, travelling out and in again may breach the conditions of your visa, which is one of the common frustrations experienced by expats living in the country. It is more common to apply for further permits while living in Russia.
To get a visa for Russia, you need to be invited to stay there, perhaps by an employer, university, travel agency, or other independent agency.
A student visa is one of the most flexible visas available but the invitation must be applied for well in advance by contacting the ‘foreign department’ of the university or college you will be studying at (see postgrad study).
A tourist visa lasts for up to 30 days, but you may face some problems if you intend to leave and re-enter the country during this time; depending on your intentions you will require either a single or multi-entry visa. All visas must be applied for via the Russian embassy or consulate in the country where you are (in the UK, Russian Consulate in London), and processing times vary depending on the applicant’s country of origin. Americans require a special visa application form.
A business visa lasts for 12 months and must be supported by an agency that wishes to or is employing you. Russian companies wishing to employ foreign workers in Russia must apply for a general permit from the Ministry of Ethnic and Migration Policy. This does not apply to employees of embassies, scientists and artists working in institutions established in accordance with international agreements.
You may find it helpful to contact your ministry of foreign affairs (UK citizens should check with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)) to find out whether there are any issues to be taken into account when considering travelling to Russia. If you are not in your home country, check with your own embassy in the country where you are.
The Russian visa system is famously confusing and bureaucratic.
Once you are living and working in Russia, you can apply for a temporary residence permit. The permit may take up to six months to be issued, and lasts for three years.
A permanent residence permit can be applied for after one year of living in Russia on a temporary permit. The permit is issued for five years, and can be renewed at five-year intervals. This permit allows travel in and out of Russia without a visa.
Both types of permit are notoriously difficult to obtain, are applicable only to the region in Russia where the applicant lives, and are subject to a quota system similar to the USA’s Green Card system. Applicants have to collate up to 15 documents for their application, including a letter from a police authority from their home country, and HIV/AIDs test results.
Careers support is available in a growing number of Russian universities. Check with the individual institution to see if the service is provided.
If you are a UK citizen, the British Embassy Russia (in Moscow) or the consulates in St Petersburg or Ekaterinburg (contact details on the embassy website) can issue emergency passports, contact relatives to arrange help with money or tickets, advise on money transfers, or put you in touch with lawyers and emergency doctors. Out-of-hours services will be charged at an hourly rate.
It is extremely important to take good care of your passport. Your visa is inside, so you will lose your visa too. If your passport is lost or stolen, go to the nearest police station and ask for a special form to report and prove your loss (spravka). You will need some passport-size photos on special matte paper. Take these with a copy of your return plane ticket home (with the departure date), and a copy of your original invitation to Russia, and go to the office that supported your visa. It is likely that you will have to pay a penalty fee, but you should get a new visa within a few days.
The following numbers can be dialled from a landline or payphone if there is a related problem:
Find the latest travel advice and a travellers' checklist on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website.
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