FX.co ★ Russia Unemployment Rate Edges Down

Russia’s unemployment rate eased to 2.1% in May 2026, down from 2.2% in April. The number of unemployed fell slightly to 1.6 million from 1.7 million, while the labour force inched up to 76.3 million from 76.2 million. Employment rose to 74.7 million from 74.5 million, pushing the employment rate up to 61.5% after a 0.3 percentage point increase. The persistently tight labour market highlights widespread labour shortages across sectors, fuelled by military recruitment following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and continued emigration. Officials expect these constraints to endure for years, projecting a labour shortfall of about 3.1 million workers by 2030.