Long-term unemployment rises in Russia

The share of unemployed people in Russia who have been looking for work for a year or longer has increased, according to data from Russia’s Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat).

The statistics show that in July 2026, it reached 13.3%, up from 9.7% a year earlier, bringing the number of people experiencing so-called long-term unemployment to around 226,000, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

The average job search period in July was 5.1 months. Women spent an average of 5.6 months looking for work, compared with 4.4 months for men. The official unemployment rate, meanwhile, remains low, standing at 2.3% in July.

The rise in long-term unemployment comes amid a persistent labour shortage. However, the shortage of workers is mainly affecting manufacturing, construction and manual occupations. Competition for many office jobs, by contrast, is intensifying. Secretaries, administrators and sales managers, in particular, are finding it more difficult to secure employment.

According to experts, young people, those approaching retirement age and older people, women with young children, people with disabilities, and those who have been out of work for a long period after maternity leave may take longer than others to find employment.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov