In 2023, the Russian labour market underwent significant changes to adapt to new economic realities. The main issue was the depletion of human resources, resulting in historically low levels of unemployment, intense competition among employers, and a significant increase in salaries.

According to the study, the situation at the end of 2023 was highly varied across regions and industries. In terms of average wages, there was a more than fourfold difference between Russian regions at the end of 2023. The increase in salaries also varied significantly, with the Orenburg region experiencing the largest increase of 21.8% over the year. Two other regions also saw increases exceeding 20%, while 38 regions experienced an increase of 15% or more.

Experts have noted that in all regions, the increase in wages by the end of 2023 outpaced official inflation. The Republic of Dagestan had the weakest increase in average wages in 2023, at 9.2%.