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How war in Ukraine resulted in increased demand for Indian jobseekers in Russia
In 2021, about 5,000 Indians landed jobs in Russia; the number shot up by more than 15 times last year. Wages for low-skilled Indian workers range between $550 and $1,112 a month (Dh 2,000 - Dh4,000)
- PUBLISHED: Mon 9 Feb 2026, 3:13 PM
At least 40,000 Indians will be heading to Russia this year to meet the growing demand for skilled labour in the country, adding to nearly 80,000 already working in the country.
Boris Titov, a special representative for relations with international organisations, recently told a Russian news agency that there was growing demand for Indian labourers in Russia as demand is soaring while its population continues to age.
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The war with Ukraine is also seen as a major factor in the deteriorating labour situation in Russia in recent times. This has resulted in Indian workers heading to the northern shores to meet the growing requirements of the Russian economy.
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Vinay Kumar, India’s ambassador in Moscow, told the Russian news agency that nearly 80,000 Indians were working in Russia in 2025.
A report in the Times of India said that wages for low-skilled Indian workers in Russia range between $550 and $1,112 a month (Dh 2,000 - Dh4,000). It also cited officials in St Petersburg who said 3,000 Indians had arrived recently in the city looking for work. They were earning 100,000 rubles a month (about Dh4,750).
Indian and Russia have earlier signed an agreement for Indian workers to be accommodated in new jobs in the country as demand for labourers is soaring in Russia, especially as its population continues to age.
“This is not a temporary crisis for the labour market but a long-term norm that will persist for decades and to which the economy will have to adapt,” independent demographer Igor Efremov was quoted in the Economic Times.
Russia has been facing a demographic crisis for the past few decades, especially with a significant fall in the birth rate. This has resulted in recruiters heading to India, Sri Lanka and other countries for new recruits.
“Russia is the newest addition to the list of nations employing Indians,” Amit Saxena, director Ambe International, Mumbai, told the Economic Times. “It has manpower shortage right now. So, it’s a natural match.”
Meanwhile, a Russian economist earlier pointed out that overcoming the language barrier is one of the biggest challenges for most Indian workers in Russia. The majority of Indian workers do not speak Russian, while a significant portion of the Russian population, especially in rural areas, does not speak English.
In 2021, just about 5,000 Indians landed jobs in Russia. But last year, the number shot up by more than 15 times. And the total number of work permits given to foreigners jumped to 240,000 in 2025. Agencies are recruiting people for Russia in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and China.
Many of the new recruits get jobs in municipalities, helping clear snow and doing other sundry civic jobs. But many are also working at construction sites and in the services sector. Intrud, a recruitment agency in Moscow, has set up a training centre for welders in Chennai, along with the Russian Association of Welders, to ensure a steady supply of workers, the company told the Economic Times.
