The Russian labor market, between dynamism and inertia. As early as last year, Russian workers’ lack of mobility because a major concern. They switch jobs as often as Japanese or Dutch people – with a turnover over 30% a year within large and medium-size businesses according to the Center for Labor Market Studies (Moscow) – but they are much more reluctant to moving. Compared with developed countries of the same stature, and as the country is characterized by much stronger cross-regional differences (which should logically drive an exodus to more prosperous regions), there is hardly any internal migration in Russia. During their career, a Russian citizen moves in average 1.5 times, according to the Russian Center for Public Opinion Studies, as opposed to 13 times for Americans. And, with the crisis, it seems that this relative immobility has worsened, with only 1.7 million internal migrations in 2009, i.e. 1% of the population (as opposed to 2% in the 1990s and 3-4% in the Soviet Union in the 80s), a 12% drop compared with 2008.
rnal migration in Russia. During their career, a Russian citizen moves in average 1.5 times, according to the Russian Center for Public Opinion Studies, as opposed to 13 times for Americans. And, with the crisis, it seems that this relative immobility has worsened, with only 1.7 million internal migrations in 2009, i.e. 1% of the population (as opposed to 2% in the 1990s and 3-4% in the Soviet Union in the 80s), a 12% drop compared with 2008.
This is a big problem at a time when Russia should e
…Do you have information to share with us?