Expats working in Russia are often afforded high salaries and a lofty financial quality of life, but sizeable pay-outs are hard-earned, and jobs for foreigners are becoming more difficult to find.

Most non-locals who have secured work in Russia occupy executive or senior managerial positions, jobs often pinned down with the help of Russian or international executive search offices. Junior and middle-management positions are now much more likely to be filled by locals.

Many multinational organisations and even local big business owners believe that Russians don’t possess adequate experience, a high enough level of educational, or the proper skills to cope with the responsibilities that these top positions require.

So those that do tick all the boxes are sourced from abroad, paid lucrative wages and given housing and education allowances. These expat employment packages are not as glamorous as they were five years ago; but nonetheless, they’re often considerably more than what expats would be earning at home.

A study by HSBC in 2010 indicated that 36 percent of expats working in Russia took home more than $250,000 (£162,000) a year.

It follows that many expats perceive working in Russia as a grand opportunity to further their career and make financial progress in their life. Keep in mind, though, that this frame of mind only holds true for those industry professionals who have surpassed the mid-level tiers in their discipline.

Furthermore, expats looking to live in Russia should ready themselves for a demanding work environment, complicated by the issues that accompany an economy still largely overshadowed by its Soviet past.

Private business is still lagging, and untrusting attitudes toward foreigners and poor business regulations are difficult to handle. Not to mention that crime in the country, related to bribery and corruption, has increased costs for both local and international enterprises.

Lastly, keep in mind that the language barrier is still a considerable obstacle to overcome. Only a small percentage of the population speaks anything besides Russian; though, if working for a multinational, it’s likely that more employees will speak at least some degree of English.

It's necessary that expats secure a work permit to work legally in Russia.