OREANDA-NEWS  Unemployment in Russia rose to 2.4% in January from a historically low 2.3% in December, according to Rosstat data.

The increase in unemployment in the Russian Federation was recorded for the first time since December 2023. In recent years, against the background of a significant shortage of personnel, unemployment has repeatedly updated its historical low, and it has been at 2.3% since October last year.

"In January 2025, 1.8 million people aged 15 and over were classified as unemployed (according to the methodology of the International Labor Organization). The unemployment rate of the population aged 15 years and older in January 2025 was 2.4% (excluding the seasonal factor)," the Rosstat report says.

In December, the total number of unemployed in the country was 1.788 million, and in January it rose to 1.808 million.
According to Rosstat, with reference to Rostrud data, by the end of January, 0.3 million unemployed citizens were registered with the employment service, including 0.2 million people who received unemployment benefits.

When studying employment and unemployment, Rosstat uses the methodology of the International Labor Organization, according to which unemployed people are those who at the time of the study simultaneously needed a job, were looking for it and were ready to start it.

The number of Russian workers aged 15 and over, according to Rosstat, amounted to 75.3 million people in January 2025.