In 2025, Russia significantly increased the number of work permits issued to foreign nationals, particularly targeting citizens from India and Bangladesh, according to official statistics. This move comes as employers strive to address the serious labor deficiencies resulting from the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Last year, Russian authorities granted 56,500 work permits to Indian nationals, a rise from 36,200 in 2024, based on data from the Interior Ministry referenced by the exiled media outlet Vyorstka.

Similarly, the number of permits for Bangladeshi workers surged more than threefold, climbing to 9,300 from 2,800 the previous year.

These numbers represent the highest levels since at least 2017.

There was also a notable increase in work permits for citizens from several other countries.

The permits issued to Turkmen workers soared to 25,000, over 2.5 times higher than before, while the number for Uzbek nationals increased fivefold to 2,300, and those for Tajik citizens nearly tripled to 263.

China continued to be the primary source of foreign labor, with permits for Chinese nationals increasing by approximately 50% to 92,000.

Overall, Russia issued around 240,000 work permits to foreigners in 2025, reflecting a nearly 42% rise compared to the prior year and representing the highest figure since at least 2017.

The government aims to further expand the recruitment of foreign workers this year, particularly focusing on migrants from India, China, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and various African nations.

The Labor Ministry has suggested a quota of 279,000 foreign workers for 2026, which would be approximately 20% more than in 2025.

About 92% of this quota is intended for skilled laborers required for industrial sectors and major infrastructure projects, while the rest will be designated for unskilled workers in challenging conditions and other specialized roles, such as veterinary technicians and animal care personnel.

This influx of work permits comes as Russia faces a considerable labor shortage.

As per official statistics, the unemployment rate in Russia fell to 2.1% in November of the prior year.

The Higher School of Economics estimates that the Russian economy is lacking around 2.6 million workers, with projections indicating that this deficit may exceed 3 million by 2030.

This workforce gap has been primarily influenced by the war in Ukraine, which has resulted in the mobilization of numerous working-age men and a large-scale departure of individuals critical of the Kremlin and army defectors.