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  1. Russia
  2. ›
  3. Labour market

Russia: labour shortage, record-low unemployment and a shrinking population

Russian firms are short of workers: unemployment is at the lowest of the monthly series, while the working-age population has been shrinking for fifteen years. Military mobilisation, departures abroad and hiring in the arms industry come on top of a long demographic decline. What the official series say.

Citoyen·Data as of Nov 12, 2026

Scope: Russia. Rosstat labour force survey (aged 15 and over), republished monthly by the ILO since 2010; United Nations Population Division estimates published by the World Bank, since 1990.

This dossier is updated at least once a quarter with the new figures. Follow it to get a notification at each update.

Key points

Unemployment rate2.1%Dec. 2025, against 6.2% in Aug. 2020
Population aged 15 to 6493.5 million2025, against 103.0 million in 2010
Share aged 65 and over17.8%2025, against 10.0% in 1990
Children per woman1.42fertility rate, 2024
  • Unemployment at a low. The unemployment rate is 2.1% in Dec. 2025; it fell to 2.0% in Aug. 2025, the lowest level of the series. It stood at 6.2% in Aug. 2020 and 9.0% in Jan. 2010.
  • Fewer people of working age. The population aged 15 to 64 numbers 93.5 million in 2025, 9.5 million fewer than in 2010, when it peaked at 103.0 million.
  • An ageing population. People aged 65 and over make up 17.8% of the population in 2025, against 10.0% in 1990. The total population, 143.5 million, remains below its 1992 maximum (148.5 million).
  • Falling fertility. After a rebound to 1.78 children per woman in 2015, the rate fell back to 1.42 in 2024, far below the replacement level (2.1).
  • Life expectancy at the world average. It reaches 73.4 years in 2024, level with the world average (73.5 years), after the collapse of the 1990s.
How to read these figures

The unemployment rate follows the International Labour Office definition: people without work, available and looking for a job, relative to the labour force aged 15 and over. It comes from Rosstat’s monthly survey, whose results the ILO publishes. The employment rate relates people in employment to the whole population aged 15 and over: the series has a break in January 2017; rates before and after that date do not compare directly.

Population estimates are those of the United Nations Population Division, published by the World Bank; they may differ from Rosstat’s figures (in particular on the territorial scope). Reliability: Russian official statistics have been published in less detail since 2022 and their quality is debated; they are the best available, to be read with caution. Rosstat cannot be reached from Citoyen’s servers, and no recent official wage series could be read.

1. Unemployment at a low

After the pandemic peak, unemployment has kept falling. The employment rate has been rising since 2020.

Unemployment rate, each month

ILO definition, aged 15 and over, not seasonally adjusted.

Source:ILO (Rosstat labour force survey)

Show the chart data
PeriodUnemployment rate
Jan. 20109.0%
Feb. 20108.6%
Mar. 20108.6%
Apr. 20108.0%
May 20107.3%
Jun. 20106.7%
Jul. 20106.9%
Aug. 20106.8%
Sep. 20106.5%
Oct. 20106.8%
Nov. 20106.7%
Dec. 20107.1%
Jan. 20117.7%
Feb. 20117.5%
Mar. 20117.0%
Apr. 20117.1%
May 20116.2%
Jun. 20116.1%
Jul. 20116.5%
Aug. 20116.1%
Sep. 20116.0%
Oct. 20116.3%
Nov. 20116.3%
Dec. 20116.1%
Jan. 20126.3%
Feb. 20126.2%
Mar. 20126.3%
Apr. 20125.6%
May 20125.2%
Jun. 20125.3%
Jul. 20125.3%
Aug. 20125.0%
Sep. 20125.1%
Oct. 20125.2%
Nov. 20125.3%
Dec. 20125.2%
Jan. 20136.0%
Feb. 20135.8%
Mar. 20135.7%
Apr. 20135.5%
May 20135.2%
Jun. 20135.5%
Jul. 20135.3%
Aug. 20135.2%
Sep. 20135.3%
Oct. 20135.5%
Nov. 20135.5%
Dec. 20135.7%
Jan. 20145.6%
Feb. 20145.7%
Mar. 20145.4%
Apr. 20145.3%
May 20145.0%
Jun. 20145.0%
Jul. 20145.0%
Aug. 20144.9%
Sep. 20145.0%
Oct. 20145.1%
Nov. 20145.3%
Dec. 20145.4%
Jan. 20155.5%
Feb. 20155.8%
Mar. 20155.9%
Apr. 20155.8%
May 20155.6%
Jun. 20155.4%
Jul. 20155.4%
Aug. 20155.3%
Sep. 20155.3%
Oct. 20155.6%
Nov. 20155.9%
Dec. 20155.8%
Jan. 20165.9%
Feb. 20165.9%
Mar. 20166.0%
Apr. 20166.0%
May 20165.6%
Jun. 20165.5%
Jul. 20165.4%
Aug. 20165.3%
Sep. 20165.3%
Oct. 20165.4%
Nov. 20165.4%
Dec. 20165.4%
Jan. 20175.7%
Feb. 20175.6%
Mar. 20175.5%
Apr. 20175.4%
May 20175.2%
Jun. 20175.2%
Jul. 20175.2%
Aug. 20175.0%
Sep. 20175.0%
Oct. 20175.1%
Nov. 20175.1%
Dec. 20175.1%
Jan. 20185.2%
Feb. 20185.1%
Mar. 20185.1%
Apr. 20184.9%
May 20184.8%
Jun. 20184.8%
Jul. 20184.8%
Aug. 20184.6%
Sep. 20184.5%
Oct. 20184.8%
Nov. 20184.8%
Dec. 20184.9%
Jan. 20194.8%
Feb. 20194.8%
Mar. 20194.6%
Apr. 20194.7%
May 20194.5%
Jun. 20194.3%
Jul. 20194.3%
Aug. 20194.2%
Sep. 20194.4%
Oct. 20194.5%
Nov. 20194.5%
Dec. 20194.5%
Jan. 20204.6%
Feb. 20204.5%
Mar. 20204.6%
Apr. 20205.6%
May 20206.0%
Jun. 20206.0%
Jul. 20206.1%
Aug. 20206.2%
Sep. 20206.1%
Oct. 20206.0%
Nov. 20205.9%
Dec. 20205.8%
Jan. 20215.6%
Feb. 20215.5%
Mar. 20215.3%
Apr. 20215.1%
May 20214.9%
Jun. 20214.7%
Jul. 20214.4%
Aug. 20214.4%
Sep. 20214.3%
Oct. 20214.3%
Nov. 20214.2%
Dec. 20214.2%
Jan. 20224.4%
Feb. 20224.1%
Mar. 20224.1%
Apr. 20223.9%
May 20223.9%
Jun. 20223.9%
Jul. 20223.7%
Aug. 20223.7%
Sep. 20223.8%
Oct. 20223.8%
Nov. 20223.6%
Dec. 20223.7%
Jan. 20233.5%
Feb. 20233.4%
Mar. 20233.4%
Apr. 20233.2%
May 20233.1%
Jun. 20233.0%
Jul. 20232.9%
Aug. 20232.9%
Sep. 20232.9%
Oct. 20232.8%
Nov. 20232.9%
Dec. 20232.9%
Jan. 20242.8%
Feb. 20242.7%
Mar. 20242.6%
Apr. 20242.5%
May 20242.5%
Jun. 20242.3%
Jul. 20242.3%
Aug. 20242.3%
Sep. 20242.3%
Oct. 20242.2%
Nov. 20242.3%
Dec. 20242.3%
Jan. 20252.3%
Feb. 20252.3%
Mar. 20252.2%
Apr. 20252.2%
May 20252.1%
Jun. 20252.1%
Jul. 20252.0%
Aug. 20252.0%
Sep. 20252.1%
Oct. 20252.1%
Nov. 20252.1%
Dec. 20252.1%

Participation and employment rates

Share of those aged 15 and over, each month. Series break in January 2017.

  • Employment rate
  • Participation rate

Source:ILO (Rosstat labour force survey)

Show the chart data
PeriodParticipation rateEmployment rate
Jan. 201066.9%60.8%
Feb. 201066.9%61.2%
Mar. 201067.1%61.3%
Apr. 201067.2%61.8%
May 201067.9%62.9%
Jun. 201068.3%63.7%
Jul. 201068.3%63.6%
Aug. 201068.5%63.8%
Sep. 201068.3%63.9%
Oct. 201067.9%63.3%
Nov. 201067.6%63.1%
Dec. 201067.2%62.5%
Jan. 201167.6%62.4%
Feb. 201167.7%62.6%
Mar. 201167.6%62.9%
Apr. 201167.7%62.9%
May 201168.4%64.1%
Jun. 201168.6%64.4%
Jul. 201169.2%64.7%
Aug. 201169.2%65.0%
Sep. 201169.2%65.0%
Oct. 201168.3%64.0%
Nov. 201168.4%64.1%
Dec. 201168.2%64.0%
Jan. 201267.9%63.6%
Feb. 201267.8%63.6%
Mar. 201267.8%63.5%
Apr. 201268.2%64.4%
May 201269.2%65.6%
Jun. 201269.3%65.6%
Jul. 201269.3%65.7%
Aug. 201269.5%66.0%
Sep. 201269.1%65.6%
Oct. 201268.6%65.0%
Nov. 201268.5%64.9%
Dec. 201268.4%64.9%
Jan. 201368.2%64.2%
Feb. 201368.3%64.3%
Mar. 201368.2%64.3%
Apr. 201368.2%64.4%
May 201368.5%64.9%
Jun. 201368.5%64.7%
Jul. 201368.8%65.2%
Aug. 201369.2%65.6%
Sep. 201368.7%65.1%
Oct. 201368.7%64.9%
Nov. 201368.5%64.7%
Dec. 201368.1%64.3%
Jan. 201468.1%64.2%
Feb. 201468.6%64.7%
Mar. 201468.6%64.9%
Apr. 201468.4%64.7%
May 201468.8%65.4%
Jun. 201469.0%65.6%
Jul. 201469.2%65.8%
Aug. 201469.3%66.0%
Sep. 201469.0%65.6%
Oct. 201469.2%65.7%
Nov. 201469.1%65.4%
Dec. 201468.9%65.2%
Jan. 201568.5%64.7%
Feb. 201568.4%64.4%
Mar. 201568.7%64.6%
Apr. 201568.6%64.6%
May 201569.5%65.6%
Jun. 201569.0%65.3%
Jul. 201569.7%66.0%
Aug. 201569.8%66.1%
Sep. 201569.4%65.7%
Oct. 201569.3%65.4%
Nov. 201569.1%65.1%
Dec. 201569.2%65.2%
Jan. 201668.8%64.7%
Feb. 201668.9%64.8%
Mar. 201669.1%64.9%
Apr. 201669.1%65.0%
May 201669.4%65.5%
Jun. 201669.8%65.9%
Jul. 201670.0%66.2%
Aug. 201670.2%66.6%
Sep. 201670.0%66.3%
Oct. 201669.5%65.7%
Nov. 201669.7%65.9%
Dec. 201669.8%66.0%
Jan. 201762.7%59.1%
Feb. 201762.2%58.7%
Mar. 201762.6%59.2%
Apr. 201762.4%59.1%
May 201762.5%59.3%
Jun. 201762.7%59.5%
Jul. 201762.8%59.6%
Aug. 201763.2%60.1%
Sep. 201763.2%60.0%
Oct. 201763.0%59.8%
Nov. 201762.8%59.6%
Dec. 201762.9%59.7%
Jan. 201862.5%59.3%
Feb. 201862.5%59.3%
Mar. 201862.9%59.6%
Apr. 201862.7%59.6%
May 201862.8%59.8%
Jun. 201862.8%59.8%
Jul. 201862.9%59.9%
Aug. 201863.4%60.4%
Sep. 201863.1%60.3%
Oct. 201862.8%59.8%
Nov. 201862.9%59.8%
Dec. 201862.9%59.8%
Jan. 201961.8%58.8%
Feb. 201962.0%59.0%
Mar. 201961.9%59.0%
Apr. 201961.9%58.9%
May 201961.8%59.1%
Jun. 201962.1%59.4%
Jul. 201962.3%59.6%
Aug. 201962.5%59.8%
Sep. 201962.4%59.6%
Oct. 201962.4%59.6%
Nov. 201962.9%60.0%
Dec. 201962.6%59.8%
Jan. 202061.9%59.0%
Feb. 202061.7%58.9%
Mar. 202061.8%59.0%
Apr. 202061.6%58.1%
May 202061.6%57.9%
Jun. 202061.7%58.0%
Jul. 202061.9%58.1%
Aug. 202062.1%58.3%
Sep. 202062.1%58.3%
Oct. 202061.9%58.2%
Nov. 202062.1%58.4%
Dec. 202062.1%58.5%
Jan. 202162.0%58.5%
Feb. 202162.0%58.6%
Mar. 202162.0%58.7%
Apr. 202162.1%58.9%
May 202162.3%59.3%
Jun. 202162.2%59.3%
Jul. 202162.3%59.6%
Aug. 202162.5%59.7%
Sep. 202162.5%59.8%
Oct. 202162.5%59.8%
Nov. 202162.4%59.7%
Dec. 202162.6%60.0%
Jan. 202262.2%59.5%
Feb. 202262.2%59.6%
Mar. 202261.9%59.4%
Apr. 202262.2%59.7%
May 202262.2%59.8%
Jun. 202262.2%59.8%
Jul. 202262.3%59.9%
Aug. 202262.7%60.4%
Sep. 202262.2%59.8%
Oct. 202262.3%59.9%
Nov. 202262.4%60.2%
Dec. 202262.2%59.9%
Jan. 202362.3%60.1%
Feb. 202362.2%60.1%
Mar. 202362.4%60.3%
Apr. 202362.5%60.5%
May 202362.5%60.6%
Jun. 202362.6%60.7%
Jul. 202362.9%61.1%
Aug. 202363.1%61.3%
Sep. 202362.9%61.1%
Oct. 202362.9%61.1%
Nov. 202362.9%61.1%
Dec. 202363.1%61.3%
Jan. 202462.4%60.6%
Feb. 202462.4%60.8%
Mar. 202462.6%60.9%
Apr. 202462.8%61.2%
May 202462.9%61.3%
Jun. 202463.0%61.6%
Jul. 202463.0%61.6%
Aug. 202463.1%61.7%
Sep. 202463.1%61.6%
Oct. 202463.1%61.7%
Nov. 202463.4%61.9%
Dec. 202463.2%61.7%
Jan. 202562.1%60.7%
Feb. 202562.3%60.9%
Mar. 202562.6%61.2%
Apr. 202562.7%61.3%
May 202562.9%61.6%
Jun. 202563.0%61.6%
Jul. 202563.2%62.0%
Aug. 202563.2%61.9%
Sep. 202562.9%61.6%
Oct. 202563.2%61.8%
Nov. 202563.0%61.7%
Dec. 202563.0%61.7%

2. Fewer potential workers

The working-age population has been falling since 2010: the small generations born in the 1990s are entering the labour market while larger generations retire.

Total population and population aged 15 to 64

Millions of people, United Nations estimates (World Bank).

  • Total population
  • Aged 15 to 64

Source:World Bank (UN Population Division)

Show the chart data
PeriodAged 15 to 64Total population
199099.3 million148.0 million
199199.3 million148.4 million
199299.2 million148.5 million
199399.1 million148.5 million
199499.2 million148.4 million
199599.3 million148.4 million
199699.5 million148.2 million
199799.8 million147.9 million
1998100.6 million147.7 million
1999101.5 million147.2 million
2000102.1 million146.6 million
2001102.5 million146.0 million
2002102.7 million145.3 million
2003102.5 million144.6 million
2004102.2 million144.1 million
2005102.0 million143.5 million
2006101.8 million143.0 million
2007101.9 million142.8 million
2008102.2 million142.7 million
2009102.7 million142.8 million
2010103.0 million142.8 million
2011103.0 million143.0 million
2012102.6 million143.4 million
2013102.1 million143.8 million
2014101.5 million144.2 million
2015100.7 million144.6 million
2016100.0 million145.0 million
201799.2 million145.3 million
201898.6 million145.4 million
201997.9 million145.5 million
202097.1 million145.2 million
202196.3 million144.7 million
202295.5 million144.2 million
202394.8 million143.8 million
202494.2 million143.7 million
202593.5 million143.5 million

Share of people aged 65 and over

United Nations estimates (World Bank).

Source:World Bank (UN Population Division)

Show the chart data
PeriodAged 65 and over
199010.0%
199110.3%
199210.8%
199311.3%
199411.6%
199511.9%
199612.1%
199712.3%
199812.4%
199912.3%
200012.3%
200112.5%
200212.8%
200313.1%
200413.5%
200513.7%
200613.9%
200713.8%
200813.5%
200913.1%
201012.7%
201112.6%
201212.7%
201312.9%
201413.2%
201513.5%
201613.9%
201714.2%
201814.6%
201915.1%
202015.5%
202115.7%
202216.1%
202316.6%
202417.2%
202517.8%

3. Births and life expectancy

Fertility, which rose in the 2010s, has fallen again. Life expectancy dropped during the pandemic before recovering.

Average number of children per woman

Total fertility rate, United Nations estimates (World Bank).

Source:World Bank (UN Population Division)

Show the chart data
PeriodChildren per woman
19901.89
19911.73
19921.55
19931.39
19941.40
19951.34
19961.27
19971.22
19981.23
19991.16
20001.20
20011.22
20021.29
20031.32
20041.34
20051.29
20061.31
20071.42
20081.50
20091.54
20101.57
20111.58
20121.69
20131.71
20141.75
20151.78
20161.76
20171.62
20181.58
20191.50
20201.51
20211.51
20221.42
20231.41
20241.42

Life expectancy at birth: Russia and world

Years, United Nations estimates (World Bank).

  • World
  • Russia

Source:World Bank (UN Population Division)

Show the chart data
PeriodRussiaWorld
199068.9 years65.1 years
199168.5 years65.3 years
199266.9 years65.5 years
199364.9 years65.7 years
199464.5 years66.0 years
199564.7 years66.2 years
199665.9 years66.5 years
199766.7 years66.8 years
199867.0 years67.1 years
199966.0 years67.3 years
200065.5 years67.7 years
200165.4 years67.9 years
200265.1 years68.2 years
200365.0 years68.5 years
200465.5 years68.8 years
200565.5 years69.1 years
200666.7 years69.5 years
200767.6 years69.8 years
200867.9 years70.0 years
200968.7 years70.4 years
201068.8 years70.7 years
201169.7 years71.0 years
201270.1 years71.3 years
201370.6 years71.5 years
201470.7 years71.8 years
201571.2 years72.0 years
201671.7 years72.2 years
201772.5 years72.4 years
201872.7 years72.6 years
201973.1 years72.9 years
202071.3 years72.2 years
202169.9 years71.2 years
202272.5 years73.0 years
202373.3 years73.3 years
202473.4 years73.5 years

What we know, what we don’t

What the figures establish

  • Unemployment is at the lowest of the monthly series started in 2010.
  • The working-age population has been falling since 2010 and the share of people aged 65 and over is rising.
  • Fertility has fallen well below the replacement level.

What they don’t tell

  • The number of people mobilised, gone abroad or employed by the arms industry: no reliable public series measures it.
  • Recent changes in real wages, for lack of an accessible official series.
  • The share of the fall in unemployment due to the war: these series do not measure the effect of a particular cause.

Stay up to date

This dossier is updated at least once a quarter with the new figures. Follow it to get a notification at each update.

Sources

Series downloaded from their producers on Nov 12, 2026, the snapshot date. Only published periods are used: no projection.

  • ILO (Rosstat labour force survey) Unemployment, employment and labour force participation rates, monthly (ILOSTAT)
  • World Bank (UN Population Division) Population, total, aged 15-64 and share aged 65+ (SP.POP.TOTL, SP.POP.1564.TO, SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS)
  • World Bank (UN Population Division) Life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN), fertility rate (SP.DYN.TFRT.IN)