Why did I choose Belarus
A year has passed since I moved to Minsk, but many colleagues still ask why I chose Belarus. One of the reasons was the developed IT sector in the country. In Cherepovets, the IT sector is underdeveloped: there are no interesting events, conferences or adequate offline courses - nothing that could help maintain interest in the field.
In Belarus, everything is different: the startup culture is rapidly developing - competitions and hackathons are regularly held.
I really liked their local startup hub, where they hold master classes, lectures and courses on various topics almost every day, from the basics of UX design to meetups on professional interests.
There is a noticeable high level of training of IT specialists, as well as a constant influx of innovative projects, especially in the field of blockchain. International conferences are often held. I really like Minsk - there are a lot of opportunities for development, including free ones.
Source
Of course, I had other options: move to Moscow or St. Petersburg, but my soul still wanted something completely new. Belarus ideally suited my requirements: a developed IT industry, visa-free entry, a Russian-speaking population, and the very fact that it is, after all, a “foreign country.”
Permanent residence for pensioners and financially independent persons
Pensioners receive residence permits and permanent residence upon reunification with family members who have citizenship of the Republic of Belarus, and if pensioners have work in the country or sufficient funds to live and support themselves.
Applicants receive either a Russian or Russian and Belarusian pension, which is due to them for work experience in the USSR and for work experience in the Republic of Belarus after 1992.
When choosing a Russian pension after receiving a residence permit, pensioners cannot change their choice or change their mind. The decision is final.
The costs of transferring a pension from Russia to the Belarusian Republic are covered by the competent authorities of the two countries, if the pensioner wishes to receive a Russian pension on the territory of Belarus. The Department of Labor, Employment and Social Protection deals with issues of registration and re-registration of pensions.
Financially independent foreigners receive a residence permit and permanent residence if they invest in a state-owned enterprise and, accordingly, the country's economy in the amount of 150,000 €.
Moving to Minsk
Before moving to Belarus, I studied everything related to life in this country. Moreover, I did not move alone, but with my wife and cat. We were inspired by what everyone wrote, saying that Belarus is very clean, there is beautiful nature, and the people are very friendly - that is, we already had the feeling that we were going to a better place compared to Cherepovets.
The move itself turned out to be simple.
I found a job within a month and a half. Out of about 20 companies that I considered, three or four rejected me immediately because I was from Russia, for the rest it was not a problem.
Only a week passed from the moment it was confirmed that I was being hired at a Belarusian IT company until my wife and I moved to the country. The company that hired me, Smartym Pro, helped our family a lot, providing financial assistance, a kind of starter package, and besides, all my colleagues and management turned out to be quite friendly and gave a lot of useful advice.
Source
There were no difficulties in obtaining a residence permit; it was issued without unnecessary bureaucracy. The most difficult part of our move was finding an apartment: online services with advertisements need to be updated regularly in order to have time to snatch at least something decent. Until we found an apartment, we used Airbnb, then there was a not very successful attempt with one rented apartment, and then we found a suitable option quite close to the center.
Entry rules for Russians: do you need a visa?
A visa-free system has been established with the republic. On its territory, two documents are valid - an internal and a foreign passport. No other documents are required for entry. Moving to Belarus is also notable for the fact that there is no need to translate certificates - Russian papers are valid in the Republic of Belarus.
A visa is not required if the visitor plans to stay within the country for a short time. The visa-free regime makes it possible to easily enter the country. But the rules must be taken into account:
- stay within the Republic of Belarus for no more than 90 days;
- no need for registration at the location;
- When traveling for more than 90 days, a temporary residence permit is issued.
When crossing the border, you must have a passport and medical insurance with you. When traveling by car, you are additionally provided with a Green Card. If you are traveling with a child, your birth certificate is required. Buses are not inspected at the border.
When crossing the border, luggage is checked at customs. The citizen fills out a declaration, which must be kept until departure to the Republic of Belarus. When leaving to live in Belarus, you are allowed to import without paying a fee:
- no more than 200 cigarettes;
- up to 2 liters of strong alcoholic drinks and 1 liter of beer;
- animals (with certificates for them and vaccinations);
- 1 watch;
- no more than 5 jewelry;
- up to 50 kg of personal belongings.
If the number of imported items exceeds the permissible limit, 60% of the cost of the item is paid.
You cannot import or export media, drugs, weapons (if there is no permit), historically valuable items, and scrap metal.
My expectations were met
In general, all positive expectations were justified, and not a single negative moment occurred during the entire time spent in Minsk. The only thing, of course, that we did not expect was higher prices for rent and food (again, in comparison with our hometown; in Moscow, of course, everything is twice as expensive).
My poor knowledge of English was a small barrier - Belarusian IT companies mainly work with foreign clients, so you need to know English well here if you want to work in IT. In Russia, companies work mainly for the domestic market and in general with Russian-speaking customers, so I didn’t pay much attention to English, I didn’t need it until I moved. Now there is an incentive to learn.
Source
Minsk is a very beautiful city (although everything also depends on the region, of course, like everywhere else). We realized this the very second we entered the station square in Minsk. There are many parks here, there is always some activity going on in the city - there is something to do in your free time. The people here are very nice. True, at first we were worried that we would have a problem with the Belarusian language and would need to learn it, but, as it turned out, the majority in Minsk speak Russian better than their native language. During rush hours in the city there are no traffic jams and wild crowds in the metro - just like in Moscow.
My wife and I are happy with the move (and the cat is happy too): we are more comfortable here than in Cherepovets, and in a short time I have learned a lot professionally.
Don't be afraid to try
I would like to give a little parting advice to people who, perhaps, are now also in a dead end, in which I once found myself working in Cherepovets. To everyone who wants to upgrade their skills and reach a new professional level, I want to say the following - you never know where you will find your place, and until you take a risk and try to change your environment, you will not know.
Moving, even to a country not very far from your homeland, helps to refresh your thoughts, look at your capabilities from a different angle and assess your prospects more soberly.
Be sure to learn foreign languages - with a 200% chance you will really need them. Nowadays, anyone who wants to connect their career in the IT field should know English. Well, a rather banal piece of advice: before leaving for another country, carefully study its features - legislation, paperwork, traditions, mentality, norms of social behavior, public transport. It’s also better to start looking for housing in advance, rather than upon arrival.
Photo: author’s archive
The most important thing is don't be afraid to try. If you feel that you are dissatisfied with life and are sure that you could find fulfillment somewhere else, try it, look for something that will be comfortable for you. Moving for professional growth is not a scary thing if you approach this issue wisely.
Advantages and disadvantages
Belarus is a wonderful country that can truly boast of its people. A place for people who love consistency, a certain amount of tranquility and hard work.
The advantages include:
- uniformity of life;
- low crime;
- social guarantees.
Minuses:
- rising inflation;
- low labor costs;
- sluggish current economic development.
Checklist for those who want to move to Belarus
At the end of my short story, I give a checklist for those who plan to start/continue their career in the Republic of Belarus (or are simply looking for “their” place).
- Most of the population speaks Russian, there is no need to learn Belarusian additionally, and even if you do, there is nothing complicated about it, everything is intuitive.
- The IT sector in Belarus is very well developed; if your career is related to IT, then Belarus is an ideal place to improve your skills.
- When looking for a job, keep in mind that not all companies are ready to hire a foreigner with registration of relocation. If the company is a resident of the Hi-Tech Park, the chance of refusal is minimal.
- To register in the country, you only need two documents: an employment contract and a housing rental agreement registered with the housing office. The registration procedure will take no more than an hour.
- When planning a move, it is important to start looking for housing early. The worst periods for searching are the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, because a huge number of students come to Minsk and all landlords raise their price tags by one and a half to two times.
- Salaries in the IT sector are good, but in other industries it is not so great.
- Learn foreign languages. Without knowing at least Upper Intermediate English, you don’t have to try to find a well-paid job.
- Public transport is well developed in Minsk: metro, buses, electric buses, trams, trolleybuses. Taxi rates are affordable. Uber and Yandex.Taxi work, and they have their own good car sharing services.
- Belarusian food products are very tasty and high quality. The dairy and meat products and confectionery deserve special praise - I have never tasted better anywhere.
- Belarusians are very welcoming and hospitable people, remember this and don’t worry
I think all of the above will be enough for a painless start. Good luck!
Cover photo: author's archive
About life in Belarus
As of 2021, only 15.7 percent of the country's population rate their lives as good. The highest indicators are for self-realization and material stability. Social environment and physical condition received the lowest ratings from the country's residents.
The median class for 2021 was approximately 37 percent. And there is a tendency for this figure to decrease towards the end of the year. A typical representative of this class is a Belarusian from 40 to 60 years old, living in the capital or region, has his own living space with all available utilities and a car.
For the middle-income population in 2021, purchasing real estate is a profitable investment.
The average citizen of Belarus does not need to save money to purchase any product - a refrigerator, washing machine, TV or something similar. Due to the significant weakening of the Belarusian currency in 2021, it is quite possible that the standard of living will go down and the middle class will noticeably thin out.
It is generally accepted that medical care in Belarus is of high quality, free and free of corruption.
The building of a children's clinic in the city of Grodno
To some extent this is true, but not everything is so perfect:
- Corruption exists, but not in the usual sense - medical staff simply accept gifts from their clients. Moreover, this is not easy to do - you can’t directly, you need to find someone to thank through.
- Due to high government plans for paid services, doctors in 2021 will try to fulfill these plans by “selling” various procedures to the population. In this case, the hardest thing is for a foreigner who gets an appointment - it is almost impossible to refuse.
- Belarusian pharmacies mainly sell drugs of their own production, the quality of which leaves much to be desired.
In Belarus for 2021, there is no unemployment, but in fact it already exceeds 15 percent. Many residents are now working part-time. Part of the population is forced to go to work in the Russian Federation, Poland and the Baltic states. According to reviews, well-paid jobs are rare in 2021.
Salary table in Belarus
And finding a place for a journalist, marketer or designer is not at all possible.
The cultural level leaves much to be desired - the 80s of the last century remain unchanged to this day.
Briefly about real life in Belarus:
