Most employers will not agree to deposit your salary into an account abroad, because this will be typically treated as an international wire transfer (with applicable fees) every time.
Multinational corporations with expatriate staff will, however, usually have a corporate agreement with a bank that aims to facilitate international transfers for account holders. Once you have such an account (see Opening an Account), you will have access to online banking services. In the best banks, your online banking account will provide access to international wire transfers through the SWIFT system. For security, you will be issued (or asked to purchase) a small electronic token with a passcode that refreshes constantly, to supplement a set of secure online banking and transfer passwords.
If your bank does not provide this service, you will need to visit your bank branch in person and fill out a one-page document to request a SWIFT wire transfer.
Fees for SWIFT transfers vary by bank and usually consist of a combination flat per-transfer fee and a percentage of the transferred amount. Be sure to verify if your home bank charges fees for incoming transfers.
Other options for international transfers exist as well. Western Union has a fairly wide network of offices in Moscow, through which you can make cash transfers to destinations all around the world. Transfer fees for cash transfers are higher than for bank SWIFT transfers.
Most Western Union branches are inside banks. The following two are among those conveniently located in the city center:
- Holding Credit
Donskaya 4/1
Closest metro: Oktyabrskaya - Credit Bank of Moscow
1-aya Vladimirskaya 14
Closest metro: Shosse Entusiastov
