5 vacancies per applicant: deputy head of federal ministry of labour estimates employment in Tatarstan

A difficult moment with the layoffs of workers in April-May

The changes in the Russian economy caused by the start of the special operation has not caused any particular shocks in the labour market of the republic. The withdrawal of Western companies went almost unnoticed: the requests of Tatarstan employers turned out to be many times more.

“About 43 thousand vacancies are open, that is, five vacancies per applicant," rejoiced Deputy Minister of Labour of Russia Andrey Pudov.

However, difficulties arose in Zakamye, where 18 thousand people were transferred to part-time employment. But in general, the wrap-up board meeting of the Ministry of Labour of the Republic of Tatarstan, which brought together representatives of the State Council and the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan, was held in a major key.

“The year 2022 became a serious challenge for the economy and the social sphere. Under the conditions of sanctions pressure, fundamental changes in production cycles are taking place, technological processes, logistics chains are being rebuilt, sales markets and suppliers of raw materials are changing," Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Protection Elmira Zaripova stated from the first minutes.

According to her, the maximum peak of underemployment occurred in April-May 2022. "18 thousand people worked part-time, which, of course, is a multiple of less than in the crises of 2010 and 2020, when the regimes of part-time employment were 44 thousand people," she said. “This affected industrial centres — Naberezhnye Chelny, Yelabuga, Zainsk, Kazan.”

As a result, industrial enterprises organised temporary work for 18 thousand citizens and public works for 1,2 thousand unemployed. For these purposes, the republic received 700 million rubles from the federal budget. Another 12,5 thousand employees went to study to gain new competencies.

Labour shortage in Zakamye

On the other hand, 732 enterprises of the republic hired 1,6 thousand young specialists under 30 years of age, receiving subsidies from the federal budget for this.

As a result, registered unemployment decreased by 1,5 times, to 0,36% of the workforce (7,3 thousand people). The employment rate increased to 62,8%, that is, the workforce amounted to 2031,1 thousand people, of which 1986,6 thousand people were employed in the economy.

Zakamye faced a special shortage of personnel. First of all, Naberezhnye Chelny and Yelabuga. “The current shortage of personnel is almost 12 thousand people. The source of replenishment of labour resources here we see primarily young people in the age group of 14-19 years. For example, in Naberezhnye Chelny for three years, there has been an increase in this category by 1,5 thousand people: 1 January, 2020 — 25,3 thousand people, 1 January, 2021 — 26,1 thousand people, 1 January, 2022 — 26,8 thousand people. This demographic trend will continue in the next 3 years," the minister explained.

Social contracts will get rid of poverty

In Tatarstan, there is a decrease in the birth rate, in January-October 2022, the number of births per 1000 people of the population was 9,4, which is higher than in the Volga Federal District — 8,3 and in the Russian Federation — 9. But there is an increase in the births of third and subsequent children by 1-2% annually. As a result, the number of large families is growing. Over 10 years, their number has grown by 70% — from 24,8 thousand families (as of January 1, 2012) to 42, thousand families (as of December 27, 2022). To increase the authority of the family and the prestige of parental work, the new state award was established in the republic last year — the medal “Parental Valour”. Nine parents have been awarded it.

240 thousand people live below the poverty line in Tatarstan. But according to the dynamics of its decline, Tatarstan is among the top five regions. The average salary in Tatarstan is 50,2 thousand rubles, in Kazan — 62,2 thousand rubles.

“In 2021, the poverty level in the Republic of Tatarstan is 6,2% (240,6 thousand people), while the all-Russian level is 11%. We clearly understand that sometimes a family's lack of income is associated with a whole range of problems that the family cannot overcome on its own or at the expense of social benefits, for example, deviant or antisocial behaviour. Just for such cases, a social contract is used. With its help, they can get a job, open their own business, develop a personal subsidiary farm, undergo treatment for addictions. In 2022, 7,266 contracts were signed in the republic, which allowed: to employ — to 4,379 people, to open their own business — 2,227 citizens, to create private households — 152 citizens," Zaripova said.