Want to move beyond the UK, US and Canada, which have now become less welcoming for Indians? Russian companies are opening doors in sectors from construction to high-end machinery.
Indian envoy signals growing demand
According to Vinay Kumar, India’s ambassador to Russia, firms are increasingly recruiting Indians, especially in machinery and electronics. Speaking to the TASS news agency, he said the workload of consular services has risen as more Indians take up these opportunities.
“At a broader level, there is a manpower requirement in Russia, and India has skilled manpower. So at present, within the framework of Russian regulations, laws and quotas, the companies are hiring Indians,” said Kumar.
“Most of the people who have come are in the construction and textile sectors,” he added, but noted that demand in machinery and electronics is now increasing.
The envoy also underlined how consular work is expanding. “When people come and leave, they need consular services to extend passports, childbirth, say for example, and loss of passport and those kinds, basically consular services,” he said.
Ural factories eye Indian workers
Andrey Besedin, head of the Ural Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told PTI, “As far as I know, by the end of the year, 1 million specialists from India will come to Russia, including the Sverdlovsk region. A new Consulate General is opening in Yekaterinburg, which will deal with these issues.”
Sverdlovsk, whose capital is Yekaterinburg, houses heavy industries and the military-industrial complex, including Uralmash and Ural Wagon Zavod, maker of the T-90 tank. Besedin said factories were struggling to fill positions because “some workers are deployed in the military operation in Ukraine, and young people do not go to factories.”
Early arrivals and future quotas
Indian workers first arrived in Russian regions in 2024, starting at Kaliningrad’s Za Rodinu fish processing complex, which faced a labour shortage. Russia’s Ministry of Labour forecasts a workforce deficit of 3.1 million by 2030. To address this, it plans to raise the quota for qualified foreign workers by 1.5 times in 2025, allowing 0.23 million people.
Russian work visa options
Russia issues different categories of visas for employment:
Single-entry work visa for short-term assignments
Multiple-entry work visa for long-term jobs
Highly qualified specialist visa (HQS visa) for professionals
Work patent for self-employed individuals
Processing times vary from 5 to 30 business days depending on the visa type and consulate. Applicants usually need:
< A completed form and valid passport
< Passport-sized photographs
< A work invitation from the employer
< A medical certificate
< Proof of qualifications
< In some cases, an employment agreement
Expedited services may be available for an additional fee.
Embassy warning on visa fraud
The Indian embassy has cautioned job seekers not to fall prey to fraudulent agents. “A number of instances have come to the notice of this Mission in which Indian nationals are offered tourist or business visas by some agents in India, with a promise for a job in Russia,” the advisory reads.
It added that such visas do not allow employment and cannot be converted to work permits after arrival.
Growing Indian community in Russia
Per Indian Embassy estimates, about 14,000 Indians currently live in Russia, along with 1,500 Afghan nationals of Indian origin. The community includes professionals, students and skilled workers.
< Around 4,500 Indian students are studying medical and technical subjects
< About 90 per cent are in medical universities across the country
< Others pursue engineering, aeronautical design, computer science, transport technology, agriculture and business management