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Desperate for Labor, Russia Welcomes a New Wave of Indian Migrant Workers
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Russia is continuing to recruit large numbers of labor migrants from India, with at least 40,000 additional Indian nationals expected to arrive this year, according to Russian media outlet Gazeta.ru on January 14.
Most are being hired in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and nearby regions, where labor shortages remain especially severe.
The incoming workers are all men between the ages of 19 and 43. Many do not speak Russian, and some are unfamiliar with basic household amenities such as microwave ovens or plumbing. As a result, instructions are often communicated through gestures, said Maria Tyabina, acting head of the comprehensive cleaning department at Kolomyazhskoye JSC, which employs 17 Indian workers.
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The company attracted media attention after reporters identified an Indian employee who had previously worked at IT firms comparable to Microsoft and had experience with artificial intelligence and chatbots. More typically, however, Indian migrants are employed in warehouses, construction sites, cleaning services, and garment factories.
According to The Moscow Times on January 14, demand for Indian labor in Russia has surged in recent years. While about 8,000 work permits were issued to Indian citizens in 2022, the government has allocated more than 70,000 permits for 2025. Workers from visa-required countries such as India are legally bound to a single employer and cannot freely change jobs, with permits usually granted for a one-year term.
Recruiters say Indian workers often agree to salaries 30–50% lower than those expected by Russian workers, while also being valued for their physical stamina, discipline, and English-language skills.
The growing reliance on Indian labor comes as Russia faces record-low unemployment, estimated at around 2.1%, alongside a deepening workforce shortage. As reported by The Moscow Times, citing the Higher School of Economics, the economy is currently short about 2.6 million workers, a gap that could exceed 3 million by 2030.
Against this backdrop, Russian authorities increasingly view India as a key source of labor. In December, the two countries signed an intergovernmental labor mobility agreement designed to ease the arrival of tens of thousands more Indian workers.
Earlier, it was reported that relatives of Indian citizens who were misled into joining Russia’s war against Ukraine assembled in New Delhi, urging the government to secure their loved ones’ return and demand accountability from those behind the recruitment scheme.
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