How to Hire a Foreigner for an IT Company in Belarus

Amid ongoing global events and the increasing relocation of professionals, the Belarusian IT sector is more frequently faced with the need to hire foreign developers, analysts, designers, and other IT specialists. For many companies, this is not only a way to fill hard-to-find positions but also an opportunity to bring world-class expertise into the team.

However, despite the clear benefits, hiring a foreigner in Belarus involves a range of legal, tax, and migration nuances. A misstep in the process can lead to fines, issues with immigration authorities, and difficulties with salary payments.

In this article, we’ll walk through the step-by-step process of officially and safely hiring a foreign employee for a Belarusian IT company: what documents are required, whether a work permit is necessary, what tax specifics to consider, and what responsibilities the employer holds. This guide will be useful for IT company directors, as well as recruiters, HR professionals, and accountants who handle foreign hires and relocations.

Ready to understand the process, from submitting paperwork to calculating salaries with tax implications? Let’s get started.

Why IT Companies Hire Foreigners

The Belarusian IT market still experiences a shortage of qualified specialists. Despite strong IT education and high engagement in the tech field, the local market struggles to meet the growing demand especially for:

• Mid- and senior-level specialists with narrow expertise (e.g., DevOps, Data Science, Machine Learning, Embedded systems)
• Experts with strong English skills and experience in international projects
• Team leads and product managers capable of handling cross-functional tasks

Export-oriented companies or those working with foreign clients often cannot afford long hiring cycles and therefore look to attract talent from abroad.

Competitive Advantages of Relocated Specialists

Hiring foreign professionals, including those who relocate, allows companies to:

• Speed up hiring – foreign markets often offer faster access to the needed expertise.
• Enhance team quality – specialists with international backgrounds bring new approaches to development, management, or design
• Increase flexibility – multinational or distributed teams allow for better scalability
• Work with loyal employees – many relocated specialists value stability and are open to long-term cooperation, especially when the company supports them with relocation, housing, and adaptation

Additionally, relocating to Belarus remains attractive for some professionals from the CIS, the Middle East, and Asia particularly when the company offers transparent conditions and official employment.

Options: Remote Work vs. Official Employment in Belarus

Belarusian IT companies can engage foreign specialists in two main ways:

1. Remotely (without relocation)
   This model works if the company doesn’t require employees to be locally based. However, it comes with complications: taxes, currency transfers, and legal relationship structures especially when dealing with countries under currency control or other restrictions. It also makes employee engagement and oversight more difficult
2. Official employment in Belarus
   While this option requires more upfront effort, it provides long-term benefits:

• A stable legal framework
• Transparent tax and contribution systems
• Opportunities to integrate employees into corporate culture and processes
• Access to residence permits, insurance, paid leave, and benefits

For most growing IT companies, the second option is preferable, especially for specialists expected to work on a project for more than 6–12 months.

Who Is Considered a Foreigner and When Is Documentation Required?

For hiring and registration purposes, those who are not citizens of Belarus fall into two main categories:

• Foreign nationals
• Stateless persons

If a candidate is not a Belarusian citizen, their employment involves a specific procedure that includes:

• Verifying their legal basis for staying in the country (visa, residence permit, temporary residence, etc.)
• Signing an official labor contract or civil law agreement
• Notifying the relevant citizenship and migration authorities

Even if the individual is already in Belarus (e.g., as a tourist or student), this does not automatically entitle the company to hire them without following the legal procedure.

Exceptions: Citizens of EAEU Countries (Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan)

For IT companies, it’s important to note that citizens of EAEU countries enjoy simplified employment procedures in Belarus. Specifically:

• No work permit is required
• There’s no need to register the employment contract with the Ministry of Internal Affairs
• The employee can be hired using their national passport (as long as they are registered at a local address in Belarus)

This makes EAEU citizens the most convenient group for relocation and official employment especially specialists from Russia and Kazakhstan

However, even under simplified rules, such employees must still:

• Sign a contract in accordance with the Belarusian Labor Code
• Follow standard HR and tax procedures
• Register their place of residence (temporary or permanent)

Relocation via Company Invitation vs. Independent Move

The employment process for foreign nationals in Belarus depends on who initiated the relocation and under what status the person entered the country:

1. Relocation initiated by the company
This is the most manageable and secure scenario for both parties. The company issues an invitation, assists with the visa (if needed), housing, and migration matters. The employee arrives in Belarus with the intention to work for the company. Benefits include:

• Lower risk during inspections
• Greater employee loyalty
• Easier compliance with all legal requirements

2. Independent relocation by the specialist
This is becoming more common: a specialist relocates independently (on a visa, residence permit, for study, or family reasons), then looks for work. In this case, the employer must:

• Check the legal grounds for the foreigner’s or stateless person’s presence in Belarus
• Confirm whether they are allowed to be employed
• If needed, help change their status (e.g., from student to worker)

For IT companies, it’s important not only to find the right candidate but also to assess their legal status in Belarus at the time of hiring. This determines the necessary procedures and documents and whether official employment is possible at all.

Hiring Formats for Foreign IT Specialists in Belarus

When hiring a foreign IT specialist in Belarus, companies can choose from several working formats each with its own benefits, limitations, and legal requirements. The choice depends on:

• The specialist’s current location (in Belarus or abroad)
• Country of citizenship (EAEU or non-EAEU)
• Willingness to go through official registration
• Length of cooperation and scope of tasks

Below are the most common options for employing a foreign IT specialist

1. Employment Contract

This is the most stable and official format, typically used for long-term engagements. It is best suited for companies looking to fully integrate a foreign specialist into their team.

Benefits for the company:

• Legal protection in labor relations
• Ability to formally involve the employee in corporate processes
• Possibility to organize relocation and temporary residence

Benefits for the specialist:

• Stability
• Eligibility for a residence permit (temporary or permanent)
• Legal income with official records and pensionable service

Things to consider:

• Citizens of EAEU countries can be hired under the same procedure as Belarusian nationals
• Citizens of other countries require a temporary residence permit, and in some cases, labor contract approval from the migration service
• The employment contract must comply with all provisions of the Belarusian Labor Code (e.g., vacation, working hours, termination)

2. Civil Law Contract (GPD)

This format is used for one-time or project-based tasks, or when a company is not ready to take on full employer obligations.

Suitable when:

• The work has a clearly measurable outcome (e.g., “develop a prototype,” “prepare design mockups”)
• The collaboration is short-term or non-continuous.

Pros for the company:

• Fewer HR and tax obligations
• Simplified onboarding and offboarding process

Cons:

• The company cannot impose a work schedule or hierarchy, under a GPD, the contractor must deliver a result by a set deadline, but is not subject to internal work rules
• Not ideal for long-term cooperation
• For non-EAEU foreigners, a work permit and temporary residence may still be required

3. Contracting with a Belarus-registered Individual Entrepreneur (IE)

Some foreign specialists choose to register as individual entrepreneurs (IE) after relocating to Belarus. This model is especially popular among IT relocants who previously worked as contractors abroad.

Advantages:

• The company is not responsible for maintaining HR records
• No obligations for social benefits (e.g., vacation, sick leave, pension)
• Clear and predictable tax structure (single tax, simplified taxation, etc.)

Important notes:

• Only the specialist themselves can register as an IE; the company cannot do it on their behalf
• This model requires trust—the IE handles their own taxes and accounting
• IE contractors are not protected under labor law, so there is some risk if the collaboration breaks down

4. Remote Cooperation Without Belarusian Registration

If the specialist is not ready to relocate, the company can continue working with them remotely

Options:

• Hire the specialist directly as an individual (which may create tax and currency control issues)
• Engage foreign specialists through partners or EOR (Employer of Record) providers
• Sign a service agreement with a legal entity or IE registered in the specialist’s home country

Pros:

• No need for migration paperwork
• Fast onboarding process

Cons:

• Complications with international payments (especially to sanctioned countries)
• Unclear tax obligations—it’s not always obvious where taxes should be paid
• Risk of employment reclassification—especially if the work is ongoing and resembles employment

Choosing the Right Format

The best option depends on the company’s goals and the specialist’s preferences. If you’re planning for long-term, secure cooperation, an employment contract is optimal. For short-term or project-based work, a civil law contract or IE arrangement may be more suitable. Remote formats are convenient at the start but involve more legal and tax-related risks.

Step-by-Step Process of Hiring a Foreigner in Belarus

Hiring a foreign specialist in Belarus is more than just signing a contract—it’s a multi-stage process governed by the country’s migration regulations. The earlier a company establishes an internal hiring system and understands whom and under what conditions it can legally employ, the easier it becomes to scale the team and attract the right talent from abroad.

Below is a step-by-step example of how to hire a foreigner in a Belarusian IT company.

Step 1. Check the Foreigner’s Status and Legal Grounds for Staying in Belarus

The first step a company should take is to determine the conditions under which the candidate is in Belarus (or intends to enter the country), including:

• Citizenship (whether the person is from an EAEU country or not)
• Possession of a visa, residence permit, or temporary residence authorization
• The right to work under the current documents.

In particular, the company should verify whether a work permit is required. For example, IT specialists employed by residents of the Belarus Hi-Tech Park (HTP) do not need a work permit.

If the person has not yet entered Belarus, the company should prepare for visa support.
If the candidate is already in the country, make sure their current legal status allows them to work.

Step 2. Prepare an Invitation and Visa Support (If Required)

If the specialist needs a visa to enter Belarus, the company can initiate the process by:

• Issuing an official invitation for employment purposes
• Sending the required documents to the consulate
• Advising the candidate on the formalities of entry.

For EAEU citizens, this step can be skipped they can enter and work in Belarus without a visa or work permit.

Step 3. Sign an Employment Contract or Civil Law Agreement

Once the specialist has arrived in Belarus (or was already here), the company must sign a contract:

• An employment contract for full-time, in-house work
• A civil law contract (GPD) for project-based or remote work.

The contract must be written in Russian or Belarusian and signed by both parties. For employment contracts, the document must specify:

• Working conditions
• Salary amount
• Duration of employment
• Job title and working schedule.

Step 4. Notify the Migration Authority (If Required)

If the specialist is not an EAEU citizen and does not hold a residence permit, the company must notify the local citizenship and migration office within 3 working days of signing the employment contract.

Step 5. Register Place of Residence

Regardless of citizenship, every foreigner entering Belarus must register at their place of temporary stay or residence. Registration is typically handled by the landlord, hotel, or employer (if accommodation is provided). In general, documents must be submitted to the local migration office within 10 calendar days of arrival. This requirement does not apply to EAEU citizens.

Step 6. Obtain a Temporary Residence Permit or Permanent Residency

If long-term cooperation and relocation are planned, the foreign employee must apply for:

• A temporary residence permit (based on the employment contract), or
• Permanent residency, if eligible.

Although the employee initiates the procedure, the company usually assists by:

• Providing a copy of the signed and registered contract
• Confirming income and legal basis for residency.

The employee must also prepare:

• A personal biography
• Four photos (40×50 mm)
• A certificate of no criminal record
• Family composition document
• Medical certificate
• Proof of residence in Belarus

If any of these documents were issued outside Belarus, they must be translated into Russian or Belarusian and notarized.

For IT specialists employed by Belarus Hi-Tech Park (HTP) residents, the validity of the temporary residence permit matches the duration of the employment contract plus two additional months after its termination or renewal.
The state fee for issuing a permanent residence permit is 2 base units (currently 84 BYN or approximately €25).

Taxes and Contributions When Hiring a Foreigner

The tax burden for hiring a foreign specialist in Belarus is generally similar to that for local employees. However, nuances arise depending on citizenship, contract type, and the employee’s legal status. Here are the key points:

Medical insurance is mandatory for all foreign employees.

General Tax Burden Under an Employment Contract

When a foreign specialist is officially employed under a labor contract, the employer assumes the following tax obligations:

• Personal Income Tax (13%), withheld from the employee’s salary

• Social Security Contributions to the SSF (35%), including: 28% paid by the employer, which includes 6% for mandatory insurance and 1% withheld from the employee’s salary

• Belgosstrakh insurance: 0.6–0.9%, depending on the company’s business activity.

In total, the employer’s tax burden is approximately 35% of the gross salary.

Example:
If a company pays a foreign employee 3,000 BYN net, the total cost to the employer can reach approximately 3,900 BYN.

If the employee remains a tax resident of another country, the company should assist in avoiding double taxation of income earned in Belarus. This usually involves submitting tax certificates and referencing bilateral Double Taxation Treaties.

Social Contributions (SSF and Belgosstrakh)

The employer must pay the same social contributions for foreign workers as for local employees, including:

• Pension insurance
• Temporary disability benefits
• Accident insurance
• Access to certain medical services.

If the foreign specialist does not plan to stay in Belarus long-term, they should understand that these contributions are non-refundable, and pension payments are available only if they accumulate sufficient insurance years.

For companies, this creates an additional financial burden, which is why some prefer alternative forms of cooperation.

Conclusion

Hiring a foreign IT specialist in Belarus is an effective way to address the shortage of qualified professionals, enhance team expertise, and strengthen competitiveness. However, the process requires careful attention to the format of employment, migration and tax compliance, and proper documentation.

Whether you choose an employment contract, a civil law agreement, or cooperation through an individual entrepreneur depends on your goals, the candidate’s relocation plans, and their legal status. Meeting legal requirements is key to successful, risk-free, and long-term cooperation.

If you want to quickly and compliantly organize the hiring of a foreign specialist in your IT company, our team of experts can support you at every stage, from consultations and document preparation to interactions with migration and tax authorities.
Get in touch to build a strong and diverse team in Belarus!