The Russian economy is facing a critical labor shortage, the scale of which, according to government estimates, already exceeds 2.3 million people. The deficit is felt most acutely in the construction sector, where the demand for labor continues to grow. In conditions where mobilization and population outflow have exacerbated the situation, Moscow is increasingly redirecting its focus to India as a key source of labor resources.
Sharp Rise in Migration
Statistics from recent years demonstrate rapid dynamics. If in 2021, Indian citizens were issued about 5,000 work permits in Russia, then last year this figure increased almost 15 times — to 72,000. For comparison, this number constitutes almost a third of the annual quota for work visas for all foreign workers, indicating a shift in priorities in Russia's migration policy.
Business and Sberbank's Position
Despite the growth in figures, Russian authorities and major market players consider current volumes insufficient. The country's largest bank, Sberbank, has openly called for simplifying entry procedures for Indian specialists and increasing their flow.
Anatoly Popov, Deputy General Director of Sberbank, speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, confirmed that the bank, together with partners, is developing solutions to simplify the employment of foreign workers. According to him, Indian migrants have already proven their efficiency on construction sites around the world, making this direction promising for Russia.
Forecasts and State Support
The demand for labor, according to forecasts, will only increase. The Russian Ministry of Labor expects that by 2030, the construction sector will need another approximately 789,000 workers. At the state level, this request is supported: at the end of last year, Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi signed an agreement on simplifying the employment of Indians. First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Denis Manturov then stated that the country is ready to accept an "unlimited number" of workers from India.
Parallel to this, Sberbank announced plans to expand its activities in the Indian market and open new representative offices, which could become part of the strategy to strengthen economic ties between the countries.
Information Context and Kyiv's Reaction
The topic of mass recruitment of foreign workers has become a reason for information campaigns. In the Ukrainian information space, messages about the alleged mass import of foreigners into Ukraine were actively disseminated. However, the Center for Strategic Communications of Ukraine stated that such a campaign has signs of a Russian information operation.
Natalia Naumenko, Head of the State Migration Service of Ukraine, noted that Russian propaganda uses the topic of migrants for manipulation and inciting tension. According to her, the state is not conducting any policy of replacing Ukrainians with migrants.