TAdviser: How Do IT Companies View Relocation Experience?

2026-04-17 11:29

Specialists who left Russia in 2022 continue to return, but in some industries it is becoming harder for them to find work because employers are more cautious, TAdviser reports. Darya Kudryavtseva, HR Director at Selecty, comments on how the IT market views returning relocators:

«We mainly work with the banking sector and have not yet encountered a single case where work experience abroad followed by a return to Russia has become an obstacle to hiring. The return itself is often seen as a sign of loyalty to Russian companies and the market, which tends to work in the candidate’s favour».

Usually, if a person has already tried relocating and then returned, it is harder for them to move again, especially if they are over 30 and have a family. As a result, companies often see the return as an additional guarantee that the specialist will not leave again, which matters to employers who consider it essential for staff to be physically based in Russia.

Darya Kudryavtseva, HR Director at Selecty:

«In our practice, we hire such specialists on the same terms as everyone else. In IT, the fact that someone has worked abroad is not, in itself, a red flag for us».

Some IT specialists working with Selecty are based abroad but continue to work on Russian projects. Experience on international projects can, on the contrary, add value: it gives candidates exposure to other cultures and work processes. Such specialists often have a broader outlook and wider professional experience, which allows them to contribute stronger ideas.