In simple terms
An employment contract (трудовой договор, trudovoy dogovor) is a written agreement between you and your employer. It states what position you hold, how much you are paid, and where and on what schedule you work. While the contract is signed, the Labour Code applies to you: paid leave, sick pay, protection from dismissal and pension contributions.
The contract is drawn up in two copies, and one stays with you (Art. 67 of the Labour Code). It can also be signed electronically if the employer uses electronic HR records.
What the contract must include
- The place of work and the position (job function).
- The start date and, for a fixed-term contract, its duration and the reason why it is fixed-term.
- Terms of pay: base salary or tariff rate, extra pay, supplements and bonuses.
- Working and rest hours, if they differ from the employer’s general rules.
- The condition on compulsory social insurance.
By agreement of the parties, a probation period, remote work or a confidentiality clause may be added. Terms that are worse than the Labour Code (for example, leave shorter than 28 days) are not valid.
Permanent and fixed-term contracts
A contract is normally concluded for an indefinite period. A fixed-term contract may be for no more than 5 years and only when there is a reason: replacing an employee on maternity leave, seasonal work, a specific project (Art. 58 and 59 of the Labour Code). If there is no reason, or you keep working after the term ends, the contract is treated as permanent.
Example with numbers
You started work on Monday, 2 March 2026, and the contract is not yet signed. If you were allowed to work, the contract is considered concluded, and the employer must draw it up in writing no later than three working days later. The period starts from the next day, so the last day is Thursday, 5 March.
The contract states a base salary of 60,000 ₽ and a probation period of 3 months. You will take home 60,000 − 13% = 52,200 ₽ a month, and the employer will pay insurance contributions for you on top. If you do not pass the probation, the employer must warn you in writing three days in advance and state the reason.
Calculate it yourself
Change the numbers and the step-by-step calculation updates instantly. Russian rules for 2026.
Employment contract vs civil-law contract
Under a civil-law contract (ГПХ) (a contract for work or for services) you are paid for a result, and there is no leave, no employer-paid sick pay and no protection from dismissal. If in practice you work to a schedule, report to a manager and get paid twice a month, this is an employment relationship, and it can be recognised as such through the labour inspectorate or a court.
How to avoid mistakes
- Do not start work without a signed contract, and keep your copy.
- Check that the amount in the contract matches what was promised and that you understand whether it is before tax or take-home.
- Every change (pay, position, schedule) is made by a supplementary agreement, which you also sign.
- Information about your work goes into your electronic work record book; you can check it on Gosuslugi (the State Services portal, Госуслуги).
In Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus
Russia
Governed by Chapters 10–11 of the Labour Code. It is concluded in writing in two copies no later than 3 working days after you are allowed to start work; a fixed-term contract may last no more than 5 years.
Kazakhstan
In Kazakhstan an employment contract is concluded in writing under the Labour Code of Kazakhstan; the employer enters its details in the unified system for recording employment contracts, and they can be seen on the enbek.kz portal.
Belarus
In Belarus, besides the ordinary employment contract, a contract («контракт») is often concluded: a fixed-term employment contract for 1–5 years with special conditions. It is governed by the Labour Code of the Republic of Belarus.
Sources: Labour Code of the Russian Federation («Трудовой кодекс РФ»), ConsultantPlus, Gosuslugi (State Services portal, «Госуслуги»)