A Country of Opportunity: How Russia Attracts IT Talent From Around the World
On Saturday, October 10, a panel discussion titled “The Global Race for IT Talent: How Countries Compete for Tech Talent” took place at the Second Global Digital Forum in Moscow. The conversation went well beyond familiar discussions about recruitment, exploring soft power, migration policies, digitalization, and why more foreign professionals are staying in Russia and becoming part of the country.
Vladimir Savchenko, Deputy Head of the Regional Development and Investment Division at the Agency for Strategic Initiatives to Promote New Projects, outlined a defining trend of our time: competition for human capital is moving beyond the traditional labor market. Simply attracting international professionals, scientists and entrepreneurs is no longer enough. The key challenge is integrating them into the economy and urban life.
Ilya Fetiskin, head of the Start in Moscow project at the Moscow Government’s Human Capital Development Agency, refined the formula: cities compete for talent not only by attracting people and helping them adapt, but also by retaining them.
“The Start in Moscow project is designed to help address these challenges. It has three components: attraction, integration and adaptation. Professionals receive support across almost every aspect of relocation, from advice on finding a place to live to employment, paperwork and obtaining legal status. Razvitie Chelovecheskogo Kapitala [Human Capital Development – ed. note] and Kadry dlya Biznesa [Personnel for Business – ed. note] services help people find vacancies at Moscow’s high-tech companies, assess their skills and prepare for interviews. IT professionals can also take part in the international Digital Transformation Leaders hackathon,” Fetiskin said.
The experiences of people already living in Russia offered a telling example. Guy Eames, chairman of the Russian Green Building Council (RuGBC), moved from the United Kingdom four years ago. Drawing on his own experience, he compared the two countries using a family-oriented checklist covering several areas, including health care, safety, the economy, transportation, amenities and future prospects.
“Moscow outperformed London on every single measure. The main obstacle to foreign nationals moving to Russia is misinformation: people in countries that are unfriendly toward Russia simply don’t know about the opportunities actually available here,” he said.
Yossr Ghazi, Deputy Director General of the Wellness Tourism Agency from Egypt, agreed. He said that when he arrived in Russia 11 years ago, he expected to get an education and then leave.
“Education and health care are two key channels for attracting talent. It is important not only to bring people here, but also to give them a way to stay. Students can now obtain a temporary residence permit for the purpose of studying. This is especially valuable for those who arrive for undergraduate studies at 17 or 18: they develop their identities in Russia, quickly become part of society and, in a sense, become ambassadors of soft power,” Ghazi said.
Alexandra Yost, a blogger and host of the travel show Sasha Meets Russia, showed how soft power works in practice. Her videos about everyday life in Russia have encouraged foreigners to move to the country or visit as tourists.
“Many foreigners fall in love with Russia not only by moving here, but also through videos, music and movies. That is soft power. People abroad watched my videos, came to Russia as tourists and decided to stay because they realized that people here are welcoming and friendly,” Alexandra said.
Garcia Domingo, R-Pharm’s Director of Business Development for the LATAM region, suggested looking at talent attraction through the lens of international trade. For example, there is little reason for Latin America to build a space program from scratch when it can turn to Russia, which has invested time and resources in space exploration and gained practical experience. Russia, in turn, could draw on Latin America’s experience in agriculture and dairy production, given the region’s role as a “supermarket of the world.”
Alexander Tziko-Stefanesko, founder of ATSAL, Ruspatriation and TIME TO RUSSIA, outlined the mechanisms already helping professionals relocate to Russia. The first is intended for citizens of countries deemed “unfriendly” who leave because they disagree with their governments’ policies. It offers temporary residence without a quota or exams in language, history and the fundamentals of Russian law. The second is a new “talent visa,” available to scientists, professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, talented students and graduates of leading universities. Yet, he said, few people abroad know about these options.
The participants agreed on the main points. Russia has a range of objective attractions: safety, comfort, friendly people, digitalization, and accessible health care and education. To compete successfully for talent, the country needs to take three steps: remove bureaucratic barriers through a one-stop-shop model, help businesses feel more confident about hiring foreigners, and stop being so modest about its achievements. As one speaker put it, “Russia has developed the technology. Now it is time to export it.”
