The Ministry of Digital Development, Communication and Mass Media of the Russian Federation is developing an incentive package for IT professionals returning to the country. According to the news of the newspaper Kommersant, the Ministry of Digital Development is working with specialized associations.
Also, “penal” measures are discussed for IT professionals who do not intend to return to the Russian Federation.
In the message, “guaranteed conscription and payment for flight to Russia are discussed as “carrots” and the increase in personal income tax as “sticks”.
Authorities plan to increase the tax rate to 30% for those who leave. In addition, the state can, as a punishment, prohibit relocators from working remotely in Russian companies from abroad.
According to Valentin Makarov, director of NP “Rusoft”, an increase in personal income tax of up to 30% can lead to mass layoffs of IT specialists. There is no final package of measures yet, but “to be adopted as soon as possible.”
The Ministry of Digital Development noted that they do not agree with the idea of imposing a ban on remote work from abroad and creating “protective” increased taxes for IT professionals leaving Russia.
State Duma deputy, TV presenter Yevgeny Popov, in a conversation with socialbites.ca, said that the problem with the IT sector is “catastrophic”.
“It’s not about IT people leaving. If they all come and go twice, we still won’t have enough IT people. The famine in the industry is catastrophic and reaches hundreds of thousands of people. <…> We need to attract new and old blood to the sector, we need to increase the number of people who will work in the sector.”
He added that the proposals should concern not only the departing IT professionals, but also the development of the industry as a whole.
On December 25, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin announced that deputies are preparing a bill to raise the tax rate and cancel their preferences for Russian citizens who left the country after the start of a special military operation in Ukraine.
“Why they fled is completely understandable. Realizing that he made a mistake, he has already returned. The rest must understand: the vast majority of society does not support their actions – they believe that they have betrayed their country, relatives and friends, ”Vodin wrote on his Telegram channel.
Maksut Shadayev, head of the Ministry of Digital Development, previously stated that around 100,000 IT professionals left Russia in 2022. About 80% of them continue to work remotely for Russian companies.
On December 5, Andrey Klishas, chairman of the Committee on State Building and Constitutional Legislation of the Federation Council, told the Vedomosti newspaper that the Russian authorities could develop measures that would “make their stay abroad less comfortable” for immigrants.
“Many have fled, but continue to work remotely at Russian companies. Can we change the law on this and limit the programs that allow people to work there and earn money from it and we don’t understand if they pay all the taxes? We can, ”says the publication, quoting him.
Klihas also allowed for a change in legislation. He also stated that he did not believe that the Russians who had left had “committed a crime”.
“If they had committed, relevant lawsuits would have been filed. But do we need to persuade them to come back in different ways? Do you want to offer some additional benefits for this? I do not think so. Why do we have to pay extra to get people who fled the mobilization back?” – said a member of the Federation Council.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously said he does not “particularly condemn” citizens who have left the country.
“It’s not surprising that someone doesn’t act like a true patriot, no. Because in every society there are always people who think about their personal interests first of all, that is, some personal plans.