Russia Seeks to Address Labor Shortage with Increased Foreign Workforce

Russia has long relied on immigrants from Central Asia to fill labor gaps, but demographic changes and the Ukraine conflict have led to the most severe labor crisis in decades. According to Jin10, Russian recruiters are now looking to some of the world's most populous countries to meet the demand. Russia estimates that by the end of this decade, its economy will require an additional 11 million workers. During Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi last December, labor shortages were a key topic of discussion. Officials from both countries signed an agreement to streamline the process for temporary labor migration. Even before the agreement, the number of work permits issued to Indians by Russia surged from approximately 5,000 in 2021 to over 56,000 last year. Data from Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs indicates that by 2025, the total number of work permits issued to foreigners will exceed 240,000, marking the highest level since at least 2017. While there has been a significant increase in migration permits from Turkmenistan, a former Soviet republic, the growth in foreign labor primarily comes from more distant regions, including India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.