About 6% of IT specialists have already left Russia for other countries in 2022, and 25% are planning to relocate within the next year, showed a survey of the Ventra HR holding, which bought the Russian business of a large international recruitment agency Kelly Services in June. Another 6% of IT specialists, according to this survey, moved to other regions of Russia, and 5% went abroad before 2022. The majority of IT professionals (57%) reported that they have not yet moved.
The survey was conducted from September 5 to September 15, 2022, it was attended by more than 500 specialists of various levels who specialize in IT (software development and testing, implementation of information systems, system administration and support, data science, etc.). The question of moving to other countries was asked by Ventra to both employees and managers. Among executives, 19% reported that their companies have relocated some or all of their employees.
Ventra admits that in connection with the announcement of partial mobilization in Russia since September 21, the percentage of IT specialists who have emigrated or are planning to emigrate has increased. However, some of them may return or cancel plans – in connection with the directive of the Ministry of Defense that IT specialists will not be subject to partial mobilization, says the managing partner of Ventra and the platform for finding temporary personnel Ventra Go! Ekaterina Karabanova: “If the concept [an employee of an accredited IT company, “involved in the development, development, implementation, maintenance and operation of information technology solutions” and ensuring the operation of IT infrastructure] is broadly defined and gives a delay, then people will not go, because there will be many opportunities and work in Russia. The IT industry is now a strategic priority,
All respondents interviewed by Ventra also admitted that their jobs and businesses have changed in 2022. 22% of IT professionals noted that their business or company has received new opportunities and is growing. For 19% of respondents, the business closed or the company left the Russian market. A third of the respondents said that now the main task has become import substitution: after the departure of many foreign software manufacturers, companies are testing and integrating solutions available in Russia. 31% of managers and 21% of specialists who took part in the survey noted that information security will develop most actively in the IT sector in the future.
On September 21, Vladimir Putin announced a partial military mobilization in Russia. According to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, it will affect 300,000 Russians in reserve.
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On September 23, Forbes learned that the Association of Software Developers (ARPP) “Domestic Software” appealed to the Ministry of Digital Development with a request to provide a deferment from the partial mobilization of employees of IT companies for the duration of their work in these organizations. On the same day, the Ministry of Defense named the categories of citizens not subject to mobilization. Among them were “citizens with higher education in relevant specialties and areas of training”, including those working in accredited IT companies. Later, the Ministry of Digital Development stated that we are talking about employees “having the appropriate higher education and working full time.”
