From March 5, IT companies can fill out a special form on the Public Services portal and inform about the need to receive assistance from the state. The Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation handles the processing of applications.
New measures to support the IT industry have become an addition to the already existing two solution packages adopted in previous years. They mainly apply to accredited companies — those that have passed state registration with the Ministry of Finance. The department's website has published instructions on how to quickly complete this procedure.
IT companies are exempt from income tax until December 31, 2024. It used to be 3%. At the same time, organizations in which at least 90% of income comes from software development and the sale of their own software products will be able to take advantage of this advantage. Companies that advertise in applications and online services can also count on the benefit. And also those whose income is related to the sale, installation, testing and maintenance of domestic digital solutions.
IT companies are also exempt from inspections by regulatory authorities for three years. And to help IT specialists, the state will provide loans at a rate not higher than 3% not only for existing ones, but also for new projects.
The measure applies to those employees of accredited IT companies who are under 27 years old. Among the mandatory conditions are the availability of specialized education and direct participation in the development and support of software and hardware and software complexes. The Ministry of Finance plans to provide such an opportunity to specialists of not only accredited, but also systemically significant companies.
Also, the Ministry suggests to give a deferral from the army to university graduates if they get a job in an accredited IT organization within a year. But the list of specialties has not been published yet.
The staff of accredited IT companies will be able to take advantage of a preferential mortgage. However, the government has yet to determine which categories of workers will be able to apply for such assistance. The Ministry of Finance proposes to extend benefits to both IT companies and manufacturers of telecom equipment and software and hardware complexes.
Such support will be provided by three state organizations at once: the Fund for Assistance to the Development of Small Forms of Enterprises in the Scientific and Technical Field (the Bortnik Foundation), the Fund for the Development of the Center for the Development and Commercialization of New Technologies (the Skolkovo Foundation) and the Russian Foundation for the Development of Information Technologies (RFRIT). Domestic developers of promising IT solutions and digital products aimed at import substitution will be able to use the grants.
The share of government funding will increase to 80%. Depending on the fund, the amount of support can be up to 500 million rubles. And if we are talking about particularly significant projects for the development of IT solutions, then the grant will grow within 6 billion rubles. The operational headquarters of the Ministry of Finance will deal with such issues.
A foreign specialist will no longer need to obtain a work permit in Russia if he has signed an employment contract with an accredited IT company. At the same time, for the entire period of validity of the document, the employee and his family members are granted the right to temporary residence or even a residence permit. However, no more than three years from the moment of entry into Russia.
If a foreign IT specialist needs a visa to come to work in the Russian Federation, he will be given a multiple‑entry job for the entire term of the employment contract, as well as his family members.
The government plans to review the terms of procurement of Russian IT developments for state and municipal organizations, as well as for individual legal entities. They will be encouraged to use critically important high-tech solutions created in Russia. This measure will help reduce the importance of foreign software in the face of sanctions. In addition, the authorities want to significantly simplify the procurement procedure for both state organizations and IT companies.
New measures to support IT companies and their specialists will be an important incentive for the further development of the entire industry. Experts note that it is important for both the state and business to create attractive conditions for working in the field of high technology so that valuable specialists remain in Russia. Therefore, the adopted innovations such as the abolition of income tax, the allocation of additional grants for developers and the possibility of salary growth will help attract young professionals to the IT industry and reduce the outflow of existing staff. And the development of high‑tech companies and their IT solutions will gradually reduce the dependence of government systems on foreign software.
