MOSCOW, November 15. /TASS/. The unemployment rate in Russia is now 3%, while in in the early 2000s it was 10.6%, which means a decline by more than three times, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said on Wednesday.

"We have all forgotten the very difficult times of the 2000s, when the unemployment rate in the Russian Federation, according to the International Labor Organization, was 10.6%. And today we have reached the indicator of 3%, this figure became possible largely thanks to the work of career centers. Since the announcement of sanctions against Russia they became a place of support for enterprises, for workers," Golikova said.

Together with Minister of Labor and Social Protection Anton Kotyakov she opened five employment centers in the Belgorod, Samara and Lipetsk regions as part of the Russia International Exhibition and Forum. The launch of employment centers took place via teleconference at the Coordination Center of the Russian government. The opening of employment centers is one of the results of the national project "Demography".

The Deputy Prime Minister recalled that by the end of this year, 550 upgraded employment centers will be opened in Russia, and another 346 in 2024. She noted that employees of career centers are undergoing retraining. By the end of this year 16,000 out of 22,000 people will undergo retraining.

"By the end of the year we will open more 275 centers," Kotyakov added.

Decrease in unemployment

Talking in the TASS studio at the Government Coordination Center at the Russia international exhibition and forum, Golikova clarified that the unemployment rate in Russia is now "on a plateau", it may still decrease slightly, but this depends on many factors.

"For several months now, we have been fluctuating steadily at 3-3.1%, then everything will depend on several factors. <...> Some further decline may occur, but it seems to me that we have nevertheless reached an all-time low. Now this the figure will depend on our more complex interactions, when we work with young people, with those who <...> study, for example, but would like to work. When we increase the employment of women who are on maternity leave, at their request," she said.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that work is underway to legalize employment, to increase the number of self-employed, and to make a qualitative change in the labor market, namely, "matching the needs of the market <...> to those we are training."

"Although we are trying to ensure that the education system is quickly restructured, these are still medium and long-term trends, 3-5 years, so, of course, we will work in this trend," she told TASS.

After the opening of the centers, Golikova and Kotyakov visited the exhibition "Family. Work. Longevity" in the exhibition space of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation.

About the exhibition

The Russia international exhibition and forum takes place from November 4, 2023 to April 12, 2024 at the All-Russian Exhibition Center (VDNKh) in Moscow. It is organized to showcase the country’s most important achievements in various sectors of the economy. All 89 Russian regions will present their expositions. TASS is the general news agency of the forum.