Russian Unemployment Rate Falls to Record Low

The unemployment rate in Russia fell to 2.1% in February of 2026 from 2.2% in the previous month, tying for the lowest rate on record. The result was maintained the tightening labor market trend in Russia since the pandemic shock in 2020. The war in Ukraine and the Kremlin's mobilization of working-aged men resulted in an exodus of labor force candidates.

Russia’s unemployment rate remained steady at 2.2% in January, unchanged from December and below market expectations of 2.3%. The persistently low unemployment highlights a widespread labor shortage, exacerbated since Moscow deployed its military to Ukraine in February 2022. The number of unemployed rose slightly to 1.66 million from 1.643 million in December. Authorities project that the labor market will stay tight for years, forecasting a shortfall of 3.1 million workers by 2030.

Russia’s unemployment rate ticked up to 2.2% in December 2025 from 2.1% in the previous month, in line with market expectations. Despite the slight increase, unemployment remains near record-low levels, underscoring persistent labor shortages across the economy since the deployment of military forces in February 2022. The number of unemployed rose modestly to 1.643 million from 1.636 million in November, while the overall labor force was unchanged at 76.3 million. Employment stood at 74.7 million, leaving the employment rate steady at 61.7%. Meanwhile, the number of officially registered unemployed remained broadly stable at around 0.3 million. Looking ahead, Russian authorities expect labor market pressures to intensify, with the country facing an estimated shortfall of roughly 3.1 million workers by 2030.