Russia is facing an epidemic of skills shortages. Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine has driven out highly qualified young people in particular. By 2023, the Russian Federation would have a labor shortage of approximately 4.8 million.
An acute labor shortage is also expected next year, the newspaper “Izvestia” reported on Sunday, citing experts and the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The labor shortage will sharply increase in 2022 and 2023, the newspaper quotes the author of the study, Nikolai Achapkin. Drivers and shop staff are in particular demand.
No improvement in sight
According to data cited by Izvestia, the number of vacancies as a percentage of the total workforce increased to 6.8 percent by mid-2023, compared to 5.8 percent last year. According to Labor Minister Anton Kotyakov, there is a labor shortage, especially in the manufacturing, construction and transport sectors. Companies are forced to raise wages to attract more workers.
According to the newspaper, expert Tatyana Zakharova from the University of Economics believes that the labor shortage is likely to continue next year, as vacancies for factory workers, engineers, doctors, teachers and other professions will be particularly difficult to fill.
She cited, among other things, population development and emigration as reasons for the labor shortage.
Putin chases away descendants
Central bank governor Elvira Nabiullina warned last month that labor shortages threatened economic growth. Hundreds of thousands of Russians, including highly qualified IT specialists, left their country after the attack on Ukraine in February 2022. Many fled because they were against the war or feared being drafted.
The exodus intensified after President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization of around 300,000 recruits in September 2022.
Source: Krone
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