Enhancements in IT Specialist Draft Deferment Rules Unveiled by the Ministry of Digital Development

The Russian Ministry of Digital Development has developed changes to the regulations regarding deferments from conscription for IT specialists to expand the number of professionals from accredited IT companies eligible for this benefit. The relevant draft resolution has been published for public discussion.

The Ministry clarified that these changes will not be applicable for the autumn conscription in 2025 but are planned for implementation starting in 2026.

Key criteria for IT specialists to qualify for a deferment in 2025 include:

— Russian citizenship and male gender;
— Age between 18 and 30 years (those born from October 1, 1995, to December 31, 2007);
— Employment under a labor contract;
— Standard working hours;
— Higher education in a specialty included in the approved list eligible for deferment;
— Employment in accredited IT companies for at least 11 months in the year prior to the conscription date. The company must be accredited in the Ministry’s registry by August 11, 2025. If the employee’s tenure is less than 11 months, the employer must ensure that the individual secured employment within a year of graduation.

Proposed additions by the Ministry include:

IT specialists from accredited companies who have completed their studies will be eligible for a deferment even if their higher education diploma has not yet been issued at the time of the Ministry’s list compilation. They will need to submit the diploma to the conscription board later. For instance, if studies are completed in January and the diploma is issued in February, they can still be included in the deferment list for the spring conscription.

The list of relevant IT specialties eligible for deferments will also expand, now including master’s programs in «Radiophysics» and «Statistics,» bachelor’s degrees in «Nuclear Physics and Technology,» among others.

«The changes will aid young professionals in building their careers in IT without breaks and will help retain qualified personnel in the sector. These new rules will not impose additional burdens on businesses. The Ministry continues to refine the IT deferment mechanism to support the growth of the country’s digital economy,» the agency explained.

Changes will also take place regarding the submission of lists by IT companies for conscription deferments:

Companies will now be required to provide details about the positions held by their IT specialists when submitting lists to the Ministry.

If an IT specialist holds foreign educational documents, the Ministry will require confirmation of their recognition.

Moreover, the Ministry previously announced that from July 22 to August 6, 2025, employees aged 18 to 30 from accredited IT companies will be able to apply for a deferment through the «Gosuslugi» portal as part of the autumn conscription of 2025.