Abstract <p>Since 2010, a new category of foreign workers—highly qualified specialists—has been introduced into Russian migration legislation. Over the past decade and a half, nearly half a million highly skilled migrants, primarily from visa countries, have received work permits in Russia. The article, based on statistics and literature, analyzes the participation of highly qualified foreigners in the Russian labor market: the dynamics of their attraction, the main sending countries, the receiving regions, and budget revenues from tax revenues. It is emphasized that, for the purposes of increasing the attraction of such specialists to Russia, there is currently insufficient knowledge about their professional qualifications and the reasons for the limited acquisition of long-term status in our country.</p>