Russia Unemployment Rate Edges Higher

2026-09-02 16:27 By Isabela Couto 1 min. read

Russia’s unemployment rate edged up to 2.3% in July 2026 from 2.2% in June, reaching its highest level since April 2025.

The labor force aged 15 and over totaled 76.4 million people, including 74.7 million employed and 1.7 million unemployed.

Registered unemployment remained low at around 0.3 million people, or 0.4% of the labor force.

On a yearly basis, the unemployment rate rose to 2.3% from 2.2% in July 2025.

The number of unemployed increased by 4.8%, while employment fell by 0.5%.

Despite the slight rise in unemployment, labor market conditions remain tight, reflecting persistent worker shortages across multiple sectors amid military mobilization following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and sustained emigration.

Authorities expect labor constraints to persist, projecting a shortfall of around 3.1 million workers by 2030.



News Stream
Russia Unemployment Rate Edges Higher
Russia’s unemployment rate edged up to 2.3% in July 2026 from 2.2% in June, reaching its highest level since April 2025. The labor force aged 15 and over totaled 76.4 million people, including 74.7 million employed and 1.7 million unemployed. Registered unemployment remained low at around 0.3 million people, or 0.4% of the labor force. On a yearly basis, the unemployment rate rose to 2.3% from 2.2% in July 2025. The number of unemployed increased by 4.8%, while employment fell by 0.5%. Despite the slight rise in unemployment, labor market conditions remain tight, reflecting persistent worker shortages across multiple sectors amid military mobilization following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and sustained emigration. Authorities expect labor constraints to persist, projecting a shortfall of around 3.1 million workers by 2030.
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