09:00 26.10.2026
The system of social guarantees for the Arctic and the Far East
© RIA Novosti / Aleksey Danichev
Life in the Far East and the Arctic presents unique challenges: a harsh climate, considerable distances from major centers, and the distinctive demands of daily life. Standard support measures are therefore inadequate here, and solutions tailored to the actual conditions in these territories are needed.
The Department of Social Development of the Far East and the Arctic at the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic informed Arctic.ru that a comprehensive system of social guarantees has been established for this purpose. It not only ensures a minimum level of social protection but also creates a sustainable environment for living, working, and developing human capital in the country’s remote regions.
“The system of social guarantees helps reduce social inequality, ensures social stability, and gives people confidence that they can rely on support in difficult times,” noted the ministry’s Department of Social Development.
The basic minimum of social guarantees
The system of social guarantees can be divided into two categories: the basic federal level and the regional level, which is exclusively for residents of the Arctic and the Far East.
Basic social guarantees include:
- —benefits (for temporary disability, pregnancy and childbirth, child care, unemployment, etc.)
- —support measures for families with children (including maternity capital and lump-sum payments upon the birth of a child)
- —compensation payments (for example, for caring for older adults or people with disabilities)
- —free education at state and municipal institutions
- —social services for older adults, people with disabilities, and other categories of citizens
- —a minimum wage
- —pensions (old-age, disability, and survivor benefits)
- —free or subsidized medical care, including the provision of medications
The Arctic and Far Eastern maximum
In addition, special programs and additional guarantees are available to residents of the Arctic and the Far East. These supplement, rather than replace, general federal support measures, creating a multilevel system of social protection that accounts for regional specifics.
Housing subsidies and certificates. A program provides social payments for the purchase of housing. Subsidies are available to citizens who arrived in the Extreme North no later than January 1, 1992, have worked there for at least 15 years, and have not been provided with housing in the Russian Federation.
Early retirement.An old-age pension may be granted early if the individual pension coefficient is at least 30. For example:
- —Men may qualify at age 60 and women at age 55, provided they have worked for at least 15 years in the Extreme North (or at least 20 years in equivalent localities) and have total pension insurance contribution periods of 25 and 20 years, respectively.
- —Women who have given birth to two or more children may qualify at age 50, provided they have a pension insurance contribution period of at least 20 years and have worked for at least 12 years in the North (or at least 17 years in equivalent localities).
Reimbursement of travel and baggage transportation expenses to and from vacation destinations. Employees of government agencies, extra-budgetary funds, and institutions in the North are reimbursed for the cost of travel and baggage transportation to and from their vacation destinations, including expenses for dependent family members.
“Our goal is to provide people with proper rest and recreation opportunities outside the northern territories,” we were informed at the Department of Social Development of the Far East and the Arctic at the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic.
In addition to these measures, a comprehensive set of programs, including both large-scale state programs and targeted initiatives, has been launched to develop the Far East and the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation.
One million for a third child. A family receives 1 million rubles toward repaying a mortgage upon the birth of a third or subsequent child: a federal payment of 450,000 rubles and a regional supplement of 550,000 rubles. The program covers eight regions of the Far Eastern Federal District.
Subsidized air transportation:
- —transportation for eligible categories of passengers and residents of the Far Eastern Federal District
- —transportation for all categories of citizens
- —socially important routes in the Far Eastern Federal District, designated based on decisions by the Federal Air Transport Agency
Far Eastern and Arctic mortgage at 2 percent per year. According to the Far East and Arctic Development Corporation (FEDC), the program is available for the purchase or construction of housing for categories of citizens such as:
- —young families and families with three or more children
- —teachers
- —medical workers
- —participants in the special military operation
- —defense industry employees, etc.
Far Eastern Hectare and Hectare in the Arctic.Participants can receive the use of a land plot of up to one hectare per family member free of charge for up to five years. A subsidized mortgage can be used to build a house on the hectare, and participants can obtain title of the plot if the land-use criteria are met. The FEDC oversees the program’s implementation.
Program to increase labor mobility. Employers receive financial support ranging from 225,000 to 1 million rubles per employee to attract specialists from other regions, while support measures for employees are determined by the region.
Rural (Zemstvo) programs also operate in the Far Eastern Federal District. These state support measures are available to qualified specialists (doctors, teachers, and cultural workers) willing to relocate to rural communities, workers’ settlements, urban-type localities, or small towns with populations of up to 50,000.
Rural Doctor/Paramedic: payments of 2 million rubles to doctors and 1 million rubles to paramedics, midwives, and nurses.
Rural Teacher: a payment of 2 million rubles.
Rural Cultural Worker(since 2025): a payment of 2 million rubles.
Rural Coach (a pilot project in 2025 in nine regions of the Far Eastern Federal District): a payment of 2 million rubles.
“All programs have been extended up to 2030 at the instructions of President Vladimir Putin. At the same time, a higher payment coefficient remains in effect in the Far East,” reported the Department of Social Development.
Children of the Arctic program. Since 2022, it has provided rest and recreation for students in grades 5 through 8 from the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation.
Support for the traditional economic activities of indigenous small-numbered peoples in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation. Targeted funding is provided for 2023 through 2027, with allocations broken down by region.
“The relevant ministries and agencies always keep their fingers on the pulse and, when necessary, develop and introduce new social guarantee measures,” emphasized the department.
Looking ahead
At the same time, work is underway to introduce new support measures for the population. The first of them aims to expand employment opportunities for older citizens.
“Under this measure, we envision developing home-based, temporary, flexible, and remote forms of employment, including self-employment and entrepreneurship,” explained the Department of Social Development at the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic.
The second measure, currently under development, would allow maternity capital funds to be used for a down payment on a car loan.
“The car must be manufactured in Russia, and its engine power must not exceed 150 hp,” clarified the department.
Additionally, the car must be registered as the property of one of the parents, and it cannot be sold for a period of three years.
