To international students

In order to create additional favorable conditions for foreign citizens and stateless persons to study in the Russian Federation, amendments were made to the Federal law "On the legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation" coming into force from 01.01.2014.

According to the amendments, the period of temporary stay in the Russian Federation of a foreign citizen who arrived in the Russian Federation for the purpose of training and entered an educational organization to receive education under the main professional educational program that has state accreditation, is extended until the end of the period of training of this foreign citizen in the specified educational organization. Completion or termination of the training of a foreign citizen in an educational organization is the basis for reducing the period of a foreign citizen's temporary stay in the Russian Federation. 

In addition, a foreign citizen studying in the Russian Federation on a full-time basis in a professional educational organization or educational organization of higher education on the main professional educational program with state accreditation has the right to carry out labor activities on the basis of a work permit. A work permit for a foreign student is issued for the period of validity of the labor contract or civil-law contract for performance of works (rendering of services) concluded with him, but not more than for one year. The period of validity of the work permit may not exceed the period of training of this foreign citizen on a full-time basis in a professional educational organization. The period of validity of the work permit may be repeatedly extended for the period of validity of the employment contract or civil law contract for works (services), but not more than one year for each such extension. 

Work permits are still not required for foreign students studying in the Russian Federation in vocational educational organizations and educational organizations of higher education and performing work (providing services) during vacations or working in their free time in these educational organizations.