Russia Unemployment Rate Edges Down

2026-07-01 16:15 By Larissa Caser 1 min. read

The unemployment rate in Russia edged down to 2.1% in May 2026 from 2.2% in the previous month.

The number of unemployed declined slightly to 1.6 million from 1.7 million, while the labour force edged up to 76.3 million from 76.2 million.

Employment increased to 74.7 million from 74.5 million, lifting the employment rate to 61.5% after a 0.3% rise.

The persistently tight labour market reflects widespread labour shortages across sectors, driven by military recruitment following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and ongoing emigration.

Authorities expect conditions to remain constrained for years, forecasting a labour shortfall of around 3.1 million workers by 2030.



News Stream
Russia Unemployment Rate Edges Down
The unemployment rate in Russia edged down to 2.1% in May 2026 from 2.2% in the previous month. The number of unemployed declined slightly to 1.6 million from 1.7 million, while the labour force edged up to 76.3 million from 76.2 million. Employment increased to 74.7 million from 74.5 million, lifting the employment rate to 61.5% after a 0.3% rise. The persistently tight labour market reflects widespread labour shortages across sectors, driven by military recruitment following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and ongoing emigration. Authorities expect conditions to remain constrained for years, forecasting a labour shortfall of around 3.1 million workers by 2030.
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