The labour market is being reshaped, and 2026 is expected to become a turning point for both employers and entire industries. 

«The main challenge is the shortage of personnel, particularly in blue-collar and operational roles. Russia continues to face significant labour shortages in industry, construction, logistics and manufacturing,» the expert notes.

Central Asia is no longer enough
The flow of labour migrants is declining, and companies are increasingly looking further afield — towards Asia and Africa.
India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are becoming major sources of labour. There is also growing discussion of replacing the patent-based system with quotas as a more transparent and manageable mechanism.

The IT sector pauses for the first time in years
As companies optimise costs, targeted redundancies are expected, particularly among mid-level professionals. Large organisations are prioritising internal efficiency rather than large-scale hiring campaigns.

The office market has become an employer’s market
Competition for administrative, HR and marketing roles has increased, salaries have been frozen and many employers are tightening requirements for hybrid working arrangements.

Garry Muradyan, AMALCO-Personnel LLC.