Attracting a Foreign Employee to a HTP Resident Company

In the modern world, competition for talented professionals is becoming increasingly fierce. This is especially true in high-tech sectors, where the availability of qualified personnel directly affects the success of a business. One of the practical tools for solving this problem is the involvement of a foreign employee. In Belarus, the Hi-Tech Park creates unique conditions for resident companies, contributing to developing technologies and innovations, including simplified opportunities to attract foreign workers. In this article, we will look at attracting a foreign specialist to a High-Tech Park resident company, hiring such an employee, and the advantages and challenges employers may face.

How can an HTP resident company attract a foreign employee?

You can attract a foreign employee with the right qualifications by following our algorithm:

1. Identifying needs: 
Analyze what skills and qualifications are needed to work in your company.
2. Choosing an attraction strategy:
Use international platforms to search for candidates (for example, LinkedIn and specialized job search sites).
Participate in international exhibitions and conferences related to your industry.
3. Preparation of a package of documents:
Make sure that you know the procedure for hiring a foreign specialist.
4. Interaction with migration services:
Contact local migration authorities to understand the financing and work registration requirements for foreigners.
5. Employee information support:
Help the candidate clarify his questions regarding relocation and paperwork.
6. Adaptation of a new employee:
Develop a program for integrating a foreign employee into the team, including cultural and language training.
7. Establishing partnerships:
Develop cooperation with foreign educational institutions and professional associations to attract talent.
It is essential to ensure all actions comply with Belarus’ legislation.

What are the advantages of HTP residents when hiring foreigners 

Compared to ordinary Belarusian companies, the resident companies of the Hi-Tech Park are not bound by several mandatory requirements when attracting foreign employees.

1. You don’t need to get a special permit
Ordinary Belarusian companies that want to hire a foreign employee must obtain a special work permit for each foreign employee (this does not apply to employees who are citizens of the Russian Federation and some other cases). Special permits are issued taking into account the conclusion of the Labor committee of the regional executive committee (Minsk city) on the possibility of a foreign employee working in Belarus. The permit is issued for two or one year, depending on the employee’s qualifications. For foreign employees who do not have a permanent residence permit in Belarus and who resident companies of the Hi-Tech Park attract, such licenses do not need to be obtained.
2. Simplified procedure for obtaining a temporary residence permit by a foreign employee
The local citizenship and Migration office issues a temporary residence permit for the stay. Usually, the permit’s validity period is no more than two years for highly qualified employees and up to one year for other employees. For foreign workers who HTP residents employ, a permit is issued for the duration of the employment contract and two months after its termination, as well as for the duration of the employment contract’s extension and two months after its termination.
The employee confirms his high qualifications with documents on education and work experience of at least five years. The salary amount in the employment contract with such an employee must be at least five minimum wages per month. Starting from January 1, 2024, the minimum wage in Belarus is 626 rubles, which means that by August 2024, the salary of a highly qualified foreign worker should be 626 x 5 = 3,130 rubles, which is about 880 euros per month. To confirm education, a translated and legalized education document (or documents, diplomas) may be required from a foreign employee.
To obtain a temporary residence permit, a resident company of the Hi-Tech Park submits to the citizenship and migration department at the place of temporary residence of the employee:

• Application for a temporary residence permit.
• Copies of the documents on the employment of a foreign employee.
• The employee’s passport or other document that gives the right to travel abroad.
• The employee’s health insurance policy.
• A document confirming the possibility of a foreign employee residing at the intended temporary residence.
• Other documents required by the Citizenship and Migration Department.
• To obtain a temporary residence permit, a state fee of 3 basic values (120 rubles or about 33 euros) is required.
• A temporary residence permit is issued within 15 days.

3. A visa is not required for foreign employees of HTP residents to enter Belarus
Currently, such employees must have a valid passport for visa-free entry.
For visa-free entry of such employees, HTP resident companies send lists with the date of these employees (last name, first name, position or status, if it is the founder) and the details of their document for traveling abroad to the HTP Secretariat. Copies of these employees’ passports will also be required. The HTP secretariat transmits these lists to the State Border Committee of Belarus.
Without a temporary residence permit, foreign workers can stay in Belarus for six months in a calendar year.

What should an HTP resident employer do when hiring a foreign employee?

1. Conclude a fixed-term employment contract with a foreign employee. A contract and an indefinite employment contract with foreign employees are not concluded. In such an employment contract, it is necessary to define:

• The usual terms of the employment contract.
• Conditions for moving to Belarus.
• Conditions of food, accommodation, and medical care.

An employment contract is concluded with an employee in his presence in Belarus, not remotely. It is concluded in Russian or Belarusian, as well as another language the foreign employee understands.

2. The conclusion of an employment contract with a foreign employee must be reported to the Citizenship and Migration Department within three working days of signing the employment contract. The department must be notified on paper or in electronic form at the employer’s location. The form of such notification is established by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus. The same should be done when extending an employment contract with a foreign employee. This procedure was adopted instead of obtaining special work permits for foreign employees.

3. Send the mandatory forms adopted in the compulsory social insurance system to the state social insurance system. Social mandatory insurance in Belarus applies to all employees, including foreigners. The employer is obliged to pay insurance premiums for all employees. The Social Protection Fund will issue the employer an insurance certificate for the employee within about ten days. After that, the certificate is issued to the employee against receipt.

4. When applying for specific jobs related to the effects of chemical and physical factors, a foreign employee must undergo a mandatory medical examination before hiring and provide the employer with a health certificate. This applies to medical staff and employees who work in harmful or dangerous working conditions in public catering.

5. Medical insurance is necessary for a foreign employee. This may be compulsory medical insurance for a foreigner in Belarus or an insurance contract with a foreign company. These documents are required for a foreign employee to obtain a temporary residence permit. CIS citizens do not need such insurance; they receive free medical care in Belarus.

A vacancy was created, but the employee did not arrive – what should be done?

Sometimes, employers, including residents of the Hi-Tech Park, create vacancies for certain employees with whom they have reached a work agreement.

In the case of a foreign employee, difficulties may arise with flights crossing borders; that is, it may turn out that a vacancy has been created or vacated, but the employee has not yet arrived.

To avoid violating the state’s requirements, a new vacancy must be reported to the state labor and employment agency within five days. It is required written information, in which you need to give the amount of wages and describe the working conditions. At the same time, it is forbidden to specify discriminatory conditions. You should not forget such notification since the employer must report vacant jobs to the state labor authority. If you do not notify, the head can receive an administrative fine from 5 to 50 basic units (55 to 565 euros).