RAEC: “Second wave” of emigration of IT specialists in April will “take away” up to 100 thousand people

As part of the “second wave” of emigration of IT specialists from Russia, 70-100 thousand people may leave in April. It is reported by Interfax with reference to the data of the Russian Association for Electronic Communications (RAEC).

According to the RAEC, 50-70 thousand people left for the “first wave”. As for the impending and, as the association believes, inevitable second, it is currently being held back by several factors: expensive tickets, rising housing prices abroad, the inability to conduct financial transactions and the fact that “no one is waiting for Russians” there.

However, according to the head of the RAEC, Sergey Plugotarenko, who spoke at the State Duma meeting “Development of the IT industry under sanctions”, a new wave “will definitely happen”, and from 70 to 100 thousand people will leave the country with it. “These are just IT people,” he clarified.

Recall, earlier it was reported that Russian IT companies will be exempted from paying income tax and inspections for three years. They will also be able to take loans at a reduced rate – no more than 3%, and their employees will be able to get a preferential mortgage and receive a deferment from conscription for the duration of their work.

On February 21, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), and on February 24 he made an urgent appeal to the Russians and announced a special military operation in Donbass. In his speech, he stated that “circumstances require decisive action from Russia” and stressed that “Russia will not allow Ukraine to have nuclear weapons.”

In response to Russia’s actions, Western countries (USA, Canada, European Union, Great Britain, Japan) announced new, tougher sanctions against the Russian Federation, including financial and economic ones.