Where Are All the Workers?

More than 50 percent of Russian companies that hire migrant workers report a labor shortage, according to a survey by recruiting service hh.ru and the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, as reported by Kommersant.

The survey found that 53 percent of companies are struggling to find foreign specialists, while 46 percent are “somewhat satisfied” with the current number of migrant workers.

Among the surveyed companies, 56 percent said the main issue is a lack of qualified specialists in the labor market. Additionally, 38 percent of respondents noted that migrants applying for jobs either cannot pass or do not have time to take the mandatory Russian language exam.

About 20 percent of companies cited government restrictions on the use of foreign workers as a significant hurdle. A similar percentage mentioned that bans on employing migrants for certain specialties are causing difficulties. As a result, employers are increasingly looking to recruit specialists from more distant countries, Kommersant reported.

However, 45 percent of companies said they are having trouble attracting workers from Asian countries due to a lack of qualified candidates. Another 36 percent reported difficulties related to working with diasporas and posting job vacancies. Language barriers are also an issue, with 45 percent of respondents noting communication challenges. Meanwhile, half of the companies that hire workers from African countries said they face issues obtaining work permits, submitting quota requests, finding suitable workers, managing job postings, and communication with diasporas.

The increased interest in workers from distant countries is seen as an attempt to offset a decline in migration from traditional source countries like those in Central Asia. The flow of migrant labor to Russia has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, the number of foreign labor migrants in Russia was about 3.5 million — nearly 1 million fewer than in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reduction in migration comes as Russia ramps up its efforts to regulate foreign workers, following a terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow. In response, officials and lawmakers have introduced bills aimed at tightening regulations on foreign nationals in the country. These proposals include stricter penalties for document forgery related to illegal migration and a bill that would consider foreign citizenship and illegal residence as aggravating factors in criminal cases.

Regulations are being introduced at both the federal and regional levels. In Moscow Oblast, starting January 1 of next year, foreign workers will be banned from jobs in the alcohol and tobacco trade, street food sales in non-stationary facilities, social services, sports, culture, leisure, healthcare, and education. In Primorsky Krai, authorities are considering prohibiting foreign workers in 41 sectors, including transportation and education.