How to hire a foreign worker legally

01. Who counts as a foreign worker

A foreign worker is a citizen of another state, or a stateless person, hired by a company under an employment contract. The rules for engaging such workers differ from hiring your own nationals, and the difference lies not in the employment contract itself but in the permit stage that comes before it.

The worker’s citizenship determines the procedure. For citizens of the Eurasian Economic Union states there is one route; for citizens of all other countries — including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka — there is another, longer one. This guide describes the second case.

02. The general order: two permits, not one

The most common employer misconception is that it is enough to process the worker’s paperwork. In reality there are two permits, and they are issued to different parties.

• The permit to engage foreign labour is obtained by the company. It is the right to hire foreign nationals at all, for a set number of positions.
• The work permit is obtained by the individual specialist. It is that person’s right to work for that employer.

The order matters: first the company’s right, then the individuals’ documents. Doing it the other way round ends with a worker who has arrived but cannot legally work.

What it is called in each country

The names and the filing order differ, but the principle is the same everywhere: first the company’s right, then the individuals’ documents.

03. The employer’s permit

The first step is taken by the company, before any individual has been chosen. The employer applies to the authorised state body with a justification: which positions, how many places, and why the work cannot be covered by local staff.

What is usually required

• The company’s constitutional documents and proof of registration
• A justification of the need for foreign workers, listing positions and the number of places
• Details of the nature of the work and the working conditions
• Confirmation of workers’ accommodation, where the company provides it
• Proof of payment of the prescribed fee

The permit is issued for a period and for a set number of places. If the need grows, a further permit is applied for; it cannot be obtained "in reserve".

04. The worker’s work permit

Once the company has the right to hire, documents are prepared for specific individuals. By this stage the candidate has been selected, checked and medically examined.

• A passport valid well beyond the planned period of work
• Qualification documents, translated and legalised where required
• A medical certificate
• Photographs and completed application forms
• The reference details of the permit obtained by the employer

A work permit is tied to a specific employer. The worker cannot move freely to another company on it — changing employer means the documents are prepared again.

05. Entry, registration and the employment contract

Once the work permit is issued, a visa of the appropriate category is arranged. In Russia, an invitation is additionally issued for citizens of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Then come the flight, the meeting on arrival, and entry.

On arrival a deadline starts running within which the foreign national must register at their place of stay. Missing it is one of the most common violations and the most galling reason for a fine, because nothing of substance lies behind it.

The employment contract is concluded in writing. The worker must understand what they are signing: if they do not speak the language of the destination country, the contract is accompanied by a translation.

06. What the employer must do after hiring

A permit is not a one-off act but a status that has to be maintained.

• Track the validity of permits, visas and registrations, and renew them well in advance
• Notify the authorised bodies of the conclusion and termination of employment contracts within the set deadlines
• Provide working and pay conditions no worse than those for nationals in comparable positions
• Keep workers’ documents and be ready to produce them during an inspection
• On dismissing a foreign worker, complete the procedures relating to the end of their stay in that status

07. Common mistakes

The worker started before the permit was issued

Even if the person is already in the country lawfully, they have no right to work without a permit. The employer bears the responsibility.

The permit is for one position and the person works in another

The actual position must match the one stated in the documents. A discrepancy is treated as a violation.

The registration deadline after entry was missed

The deadline is short and starts running immediately. It is the obligation most often forgotten in the first days, when everyone is busy settling people in.

Permits were not renewed in time

Renewal takes time. Starting a week before expiry almost guarantees running past it.

The worker was moved to another company in the group

The permit is tied to a specific employer. A transfer within a group of companies without new paperwork is a violation, even if the owner is the same.

08. Short answers

Can I hire a foreign national who is already in the country?

It depends on the basis of their stay and whether they hold a work permit. Lawful presence by itself does not confer the right to work.

Is a permit needed if the worker is only needed for a month?

A short term does not remove the permit requirement. The details depend on the nature of the work — this case is worth reviewing separately.

Who pays the fees and duties — the company or the worker?

How costs are shared is a matter of agreement between the parties, but the obligation to obtain the engagement permit rests with the employer.

What happens during an inspection if the documents are not in order?

The consequences depend on the nature of the violation and the country, and may affect both the company and the worker’s right to remain. That is precisely why it is worth checking documents before an inspection rather than after one.