Over 30M Russians Work Outside Formal Employment in 2026
More than 30 million Russians worked outside formal employment in January–May 2026, driven by platform economy, cost optimization by businesses, and demand for flexible work arrangements.
Consensus
- More than 30 million Russians, or over 40% of working people, collaborated with companies without formal employment in January–May 2025.
- The trend is linked to the rise of side jobs, platform economy, and cost-saving measures by businesses.
- Companies use non-staff arrangements to reduce tax and insurance burdens, particularly in retail, cleaning, food service, taxi, delivery, and marketplaces.
- HR specialist Zuliyah Loikova attributes the shift to individual entrepreneurship, self-employment, and civil law contracts.
- Remote and short-term work is popular among students and women on maternity leave.
- The practice involves both legal contracts with tax payments and informal work, with risks of data leaks and employee turnover.
Points of divergence
- The growth is attributed to side jobs, platform economy, and business cost optimization. — riamo
- The trend is driven by worker preference for freedom, generational attitude shifts, and labor shortages. — vm
Coverage (2 sources)
- More than 30 million Russians chose freelance work in 2026 — РИАМО
- Stability or Change: Why More Than 30 Million People Choose Project Work Instead of Full-Time Employment — Вечерняя Москва