Employment in Belarus

Economic Overview

Belarus has faced similar economic struggles as other post-Soviet nations over the past twenty years, and has taken a ‘market socialism’ approach to achieving growth to try and pull the country out of its slump. Recent years have also seen an economic setback with the global financial crisis, but this is now slowly resolving as Belarus strengthens its industries and reaches out to other nations.

The main partners for trade exports are Russia, Germany and China, with trade throughout Europe in products such as petrochemicals, plant machinery, and fertilizers.

Work opportunities lessen in rural areas, but manual laborers and tradesmen can make an excellent living. The economy in Belarus is improving, and this is reflected in the growing number of services available.

Job Hunting in Belarus

There are a number of online job boards detailing open positions. Although the response rate is not high, they are definitely worth a look, especially if you work outside of the education or political sector and if you don’t plan on working in Belarus’s capital, Minsk.

Demand for English teachers in the country is high, and there are a few agencies that specialize in providing English teachers to Belarusian schools. If you are a qualified teacher, the services these companies provide are well worth looking into. There are also a number of online services matching teachers with vacancies, just be sure to consult the TEFL website and know exactly what you are worth prior to accepting a role.

Work Permits for Belarus

Foreign employees need a working permit in Belarus. This rule is also applicable for employees from the CIS, except for Russia. The application process for a working permission includes several steps and has to be planned in detail.

Depending on the purpose for which a foreign manager travels, he needs a special visa. For example, there is a differentiation between a working visa and a business visa. The latter one does not allow taking up employment, but is restricted to business trips. Business visa may be issued with a validity of one year, but only allow 90 days of stay in the country within the whole year.