Iceland or Russia
Two countries side by side across the same rows as the full comparison. A dash means the value is missing: fields are not filled with guesses. about the data
| Iceland | Russia | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in IT | — | $ 25 036 |
| Citizenship | 7 years | 5 years |
| Partner can work | yes | yes |
| Parents | doable | difficult |
| Pets | difficult | no trouble |
| Pet limit | no limit | 2 |
| Quarantine | 14 days | no |
| Residence permit fee | — | — |
| Rent, 2 bedrooms | $ 2 640 · estimate | $ 1 024 |
| Basket | $ 70,5 | $ 28,3 |
| Life expectancy | 82.81 | 73.44 |
| Homicides/100k | 2.03 | 7.82 |
| Natural hazards, 0–10 | 2.5 | 5.1 |
How the two sets of routes differ
Long-stay routes in this reference: Iceland — 41, Russia — 36. Types present in both: work, study and family. Iceland adds: job seeking and working holiday. Russia adds: investment, talent and repatriation.
Fees, thresholds and deadlines
Iceland: fees range from 8,000 to 120,000 ISK. Routes stating an income threshold: 20; the lowest is 259,951 ISK a month. Routes with a published decision deadline: 22; the shortest is 14 days. Russia: fees range from 1,920 to 6,000 RUB. Routes with a published decision deadline: 27; the shortest is 10 days.
Beyond the first permit
Permanent status: Iceland after 4 years, Russia after 1 year. Citizenship: Iceland after 7 years, Russia after 5 years.
Iceland in brief
Iceland is open to those whose qualifications are recognised as rare: the permit based on expert knowledge and the permit based on a shortage of labour operate as two independent grounds, and permanent residence is attainable in 4 years. The constraints are relocating with animals — 14 days of quarantine and a rabies antibody titre test — and the Icelandic language requirement: permanent residence requires a course of at least 150 lessons.
Russia in brief
Russia is the largest country in the world by area; the main job market and the highest salaries are concentrated in Moscow and St. Petersburg. A temporary residence permit (RVP) is issued for three years; after at least a year of residence on it, a residence permit (VNZh) can be obtained, which has been valid indefinitely since 2019. Admission to citizenship under the general procedure requires five years of continuous residence on a VNZh, command of the Russian language and knowledge of the country's history; a simplified procedure for obtaining an RVP outside the quota applies to spouses of Russian citizens with three years of marriage or a shared child. Citizens of EAEU states work without a work permit or a patent. Bringing in up to two dogs or cats requires no permit and no quarantine, but, unlike several EAEU neighbours, laboratory confirmation of rabies antibody titre is mandatory. International sanctions and restrictions on cross-border payments and part of air travel are in force; the homicide rate is noticeably higher, and life expectancy noticeably lower, than the European average, and the World Bank's control-of-corruption score is negative.
Other comparisons
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This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.