Unemployment in Kazan increases almost 10-fold amid pandemic

Unemployment has increased significantly

In recent months, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the number of applications from Kazan residents for employment has increased significantly. The problem of unemployment was raised at Business Monday in the city hall on 12 October. Gulnara Filippova, the acting director of the Kazan Employment Centre, cited alarming statistics.

As of the beginning of October, 30,000 people are receiving unemployment benefits. Of them, 19% lost their jobs after March 1 and received the maximum benefit, while more than 62% received the minimum benefit. This suggests that the majority of those who applied to the employment service are those who had not worked before or did not have an official job, so these people have a long break in their work experience, Filippova explained.

• In the first quarter, a little more than 4,000 people applied to the centres, and since the beginning of the year, the number of requests has reached 45,000 people. The peak was in April — more than 15,000 requests.
• Currently, 32,700 people are registered in employment centres.

The number of vacancies in the Kazan market today is 16,000 in the field of production, construction, transport, healthcare, education and science. Among the most popular specialists, there are plasterers, painters, bricklayers, cooks, trolleybus drivers, police officers, and engineers.

• By October, about 10,000 people were employed in Kazan — only 22% of those who applied. Last year, 64,4% of applicants were employed.
• The labour market remains oversupplied in some industries, Gulnara Filippova noted. According to her, the coefficient of tension in the labour market is 1,7, that is, conditionally, there is one vacancy for two unemployed people. The speaker reminded that before, as a rule, there were 5-6 vacancies per applicant in Kazan.
• With the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, it became possible to submit information for job search in the employer's personal account on the portal 'Working in Russia'. In the first nine months of this year, more than 5,000 Kazan companies registered on the portal.

• By October, 232 new organisations were registered in the capital of Tatarstan, they announced almost 4,000 vacancies, which were included in the current expanded database. The centre's specialists are monitoring its update, Filippova said.
• Citizens of different categories received professional training and additional education through the city's employment service. This year, 542 Kazan residents were trained remotely in 33 professions and specialties, which helped 196 citizens find jobs. Besides, 699 women and 894 citizens over the age of 50 were trained.
• One hundred and fifty-eight self-employed people received assistance in starting their own businesses.
• Twenty-two graduates took part in the temporary employment programme for graduates of secondary and higher education institutions.
• After the restrictions were lifted, 42 job fairs were held in the city, which were attended by 5,700 people. Also, 167 human resource services of enterprises took part in them.

“The increase in unemployment in Kazan is a direct consequence of the impact of the pandemic on the economy. The largest wave of requests to employment services occurred in April. Today, the situation has somewhat stabilised, although the situation remains tense. There are more than 32,000 unemployed in Kazan — almost 10 times more than a year ago. For many years, the unemployment rate in Kazan was minimal, even during economic crises. The pandemic shattered this stable situation, with 5 or even 7 vacancies for every unemployed person. More than 60% of vacancies traditionally account for blue-collar specialties. The employment rate is significantly lower than before… The pandemic brought to the labour exchange also those who had not worked before or worked in the gray market. They received a minimum allowance, but the amount of such allowances has also been increased," Denis Kalinkin, the first deputy head of Kazan, concluded.

“We will dismantle the objects of shrewd comrades”

The second topic of the meeting was the results of seasonal trading. At the beginning of the year, the consumer market committee of Kazan, taking into account the wishes of entrepreneurs, approved the layout of objects for street retail outlets. Some data on their work was provided by the chairperson of the committee, Ruslan Fazylyanov.

• Kazan has identified 268 places for seasonal trade.

• They held 16 auctions, put up 122 lots for auction, and as a result, 81 contracts for 5,3 million rubles were concluded, which is 7,5% higher than last year — then 87 contracts amounted to 4,9 million rubles.
• One hundred and forty-six seasonal objects, more than 50% — summer verandas, which, according to the decision of the Executive Committee of Kazan, worked on a free basis. Among the most popular, there were 38 selling spots with vegetables, fruits, berries and 30 places with ice cream, sweets, soft drinks.

Ruslan Fazylyanov named the main comments to entrepreneurs this year: an increase in the area occupied for trade; non-compliance of the object with the project and violation of the rules of improvement.

• After inspections of the control and acceptance commission, the committee terminated three contracts with malicious violators. The facilities were dismantled, and 18 more were brought into compliance with the requirements.
• Besides, 270 illegally installed trading objects were dismantled in Kazan. Fines of more than 6 million rubles were imposed on 3,300 cases of illegal trade.

Seasonal contracts expire in November, the speaker reminded. According to him, now in connection with active urban construction, changes are being made to the existing layout of retail facilities. Ruslan Fazylyanov urged entrepreneurs and citizens to submit proposals on new locations

Denis Kalinkin noted that small businesses actively use support measures. According to him, 146 summer verandas are the best proof of this. In the face of the pandemic, these terraces were not a luxury, but a necessity. The first deputy mayor thanked those entrepreneurs who took seriously the need to comply with preventive measures, and they are the majority.

“Such findings as the call to observe a distance of 15 echpochmaks, they both put smiles on people's faces and met the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor. As for those who think that they are the smartest and the law is not written for them, who do not pay taxes, rent for land, use electricity at someone else's expense, do not bear any responsibility for the quality of products and leave trash and unsanitary conditions everywhere, we dismantled, dismantle and will continue to dismantle the objects of these clever comrades in order to protect honest businesses from unfair competition. Street trade is necessary, it creates a special atmosphere, but only if it is a civilized trade," said Denis Kalinkin.