GLOBAL TRENDS AND STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES FOR THE RUSSIAN LABOR MARKET

The article examines global employment trends and structural challenges facing the Russian labour market in the context of the International Labour Organization’s Employment and Social Trends 2026 report. The study aims to integrate the ILO’s findings on global labour-market developments with an analysis of Russia’s specific situation and to substantiate priority areas for institutional transformation in labour and employment policy. The methodological framework combines comparative analysis, statistical data synthesis, institutional analysis and a structural-functional approach. The study demonstrates that a low level of open unemployment does not necessarily imply the availability of decent, productive and socially protected employment. Global labour markets are characterized by unemployment remaining close to 5%, a high share of informal employment and continuing vulnerability among young people. Despite historically low unemployment (2%), the Russian labour market combines labour shortages with informal and non-standard employment, low-paid jobs, regional disparities, youth unemployment, population ageing and gender inequality. The article substantiates the need to move from a policy focused primarily on reducing open unemployment towards a comprehensive policy aimed at developing labour potential. The proposed reform priorities include the introduction of employment-quality monitoring, labour-demand forecasting, development of an institution of the first quality job for young people, improvement of social protection for non-standard workers, implementation of active ageing policies and promotion of gender-inclusive labour-market development.