Work and paperwork
The work permit (patent)
The patent is a permit to work, and it is for people who entered Russia without a visa. Citizens of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan do not need one at all: they work under the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union.
You have thirty calendar days from the day of entry. The law says it plainly: within that period you must pass the medical examination and file the documents (article 13.3(2) of Federal Law 115-FZ of 25 July 2002). Missing the deadline does not close the door completely, but from then on the permit is issued under different conditions and with a fine.
The patent is issued in the region where you intend to work, and it is valid only there. One exception appeared in 2025: Moscow with the Moscow Region, and St Petersburg with the Leningrad Region, may sign an agreement under which a permit issued in one of them is valid in both (article 13.3-1, added by the law of 23 May 2025 No. 121-FZ).
Your migration card must state «work» as the purpose of entry. That is article 13.3(2)(3), and it is the small detail people get refused over: with the purpose «private», no permit will be issued.
What is in this section
- The patent has expired
- Vacancies open to foreign citizens
- Jobs with no experience
- Rotational work
- Jobs with housing
What is known for certain
What to gather (article 13.3(2)):
- an application for the permit;
- an identity document — your passport;
- the migration card stating «work» as the purpose of entry;
- a voluntary medical insurance policy, a contract with a medical organisation, or a compulsory medical insurance policy;
- the results of the medical examination;
- a document confirming command of Russian and knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of legislation — that is, the certificate issued after the exam;
- the fingerprinting and photographing records.
The permit runs from one to twelve months, and with extensions the total may not exceed twelve months from the day it was issued (article 13.3(5)). After that it has to be reissued.
The permit is handed over only against proof of payment (paragraph 6). Payment first, permit second.
Within two months of issue you must file a notice of employment with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with a copy of your contract (paragraph 7). Fail to file it and the permit is annulled.
What follows from this
The key thing about money: the payment itself extends the permit. «The validity of the patent is deemed extended for the period for which the personal income tax has been paid in the form of a fixed advance payment. In that case no application to the territorial authorities is required» (article 13.3(5)). There is nowhere to go — there is only a payment to make on time.
And the reverse, in the same paragraph: «otherwise the validity of the patent terminates on the day following the last day of the period for which the tax was paid». Miss the payment and the permit is over the next morning, with no warning and no letter.
How much to pay in your region and how the amount is calculated — paying for the patent. If the deadline has already passed — the patent has expired.
What gets a permit annulled. First on the list (article 13.3(22)) is working «with the involvement of the labour of third parties» — that is, a permit holder hiring others. Then: failure to file the notice of employment, and the grounds in article 18 of the law.
The certificate is part of the document set, not a separate story. Without the document confirming command of Russian, knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of legislation, no permit is issued: it is named in the same paragraph 2 as the passport and the migration card.
A free trainer for the patent exam — 22 tasks, as in the exam, with every mistake explained. And separately: what the patent exam is — the pass mark, the sections, how much time you get.
Test yourselfFrequently asked questions
Who does not need a patent?
Citizens of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan — they work under the Eurasian Economic Union treaty. The permit is for visa-free arrivals from the other countries: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Moldova and others.
How many days do I have after entry?
Thirty calendar days for the medical examination and for filing the documents.
Can I work in another region on my permit?
No, the permit is valid in the region that issued it. Since 2025 the law allows Moscow and the Moscow Region, and St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, to agree to recognise each other's permits.
Do I have to go to the Ministry to extend the permit?
No. The term is extended by the payment itself — for the period covered by the fixed advance payment.
What happens if I do not file the notice of employment?
The permit is annulled: the notice is filed within two months of the day the permit was issued.
How long can I work on one permit in total?
No more than twelve months from the day of issue. After that the permit is reissued.
The rules were verified on 22 September 2026 against the text of Federal Law 115-FZ of 25 July 2002 (articles 13, 13.3 and 13.3-1) in the version of 26 June 2026, with amendments in force from 1 September 2026. Every statement on this page is stored together with a verbatim quotation from the law, and a check finds it in the text automatically.