Against a shifting backdrop of increasing Dominican government oversight of its citizens seeking work in Russia, the Dominican Embassy in Moscow has officially announced the rollout of the ‘Start in Moscow’ initiative, a targeted support program created exclusively for Dominican residents living in the Russian capital. The program aims to connect qualified Dominican professionals and technical workers with legitimate local employment opportunities while easing their cultural and logistical adaptation to life in Moscow.
Run by the Human Capital Development agency, a department under the administration of the Moscow city government, the ‘Start in Moscow’ program acts as a bridge between international skilled workers and Moscow-based companies actively searching for qualified talent. For all participants, the program delivers a full suite of free support services, ranging from professional resume crafting and mock interview preparation to guidance navigating Russia’s immigration bureaucracy. It also connects participants with affordable Russian language learning resources to help them overcome communication barriers in the workplace and daily life.
First launched in April 2024, the program has already seen steady growth in participation. As of September 2025, nearly 790 professionals from 91 different countries have joined the initiative, and more than half of those participants—398 to be exact—have already secured permanent positions at Moscow companies across a range of high-demand sectors. The most popular fields for participating foreign workers include information technology, civil and mechanical engineering, and business development, reflecting Moscow’s growing demand for skilled talent in these areas.
The application process is structured to ensure transparency and accessibility for all interested candidates. Applicants are required to submit a formal registration form that includes full disclosure of their current immigration status in Russia. Once approved, they are paired with dedicated career advisors who help them refine their application materials, polish their professional presentation, and ultimately arrange interviews with pre-vetted local employers actively seeking to hire international specialists.
The launch of this targeted program for Dominican nationals comes at a time when the Dominican government has heightened its monitoring of Dominican citizens traveling to Russia for work. On October 7, the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX) issued a public statement confirming it is investigating cases involving Dominican nationals who traveled to Russia after accepting purported technical job offers, only to allegedly become entangled in activities linked to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. To date, the ministry has formally identified 20 Dominican citizens through reports submitted by their family members, and has officially raised the issue with Russian law enforcement and diplomatic authorities.
For Dominican citizens in Russia who are seeking legitimate, legal work opportunities, the embassy has emphasized that ‘Start in Moscow’ provides a regulated, official pathway to career support and connections with reputable employers. The Dominican Embassy in Moscow remains fully operational to provide all required consular assistance to any Dominican national in need. Its permanent offices are located at Mytnaya Street 3, Office 2A, Moscow, and consular services are available to the public Monday through Friday during regular business hours.