The Russians were named industries with high salary prospects in 2026

In 2026, wage dynamics in Russia will be uneven: the market is already showing a record gap between candidates' expectations and employers' opportunities. This year, the desired salaries have increased by 14%, while the proposed salaries have increased by only 7%. This was stated by Ilona Platonova, a business analyst at Adviros, in an interview with Izvestia on November 27.

She stressed that massive revenue growth is not expected: economic opportunities are limited, and government procurement volumes are declining. At the same time, factors stimulating point growth remain in a number of sectors.

The key drivers remain the shortage of personnel and the high expectations of applicants. The situation is particularly acute in industry, logistics, construction, infrastructure and agriculture. In these industries, salary offers have already outstripped inflation, and growth will continue in 2026.

"According to the job search service, for the first time in September 2025, salaries in vacancies in the manufacturing sector exceeded the expectations of applicants. Double-digit growth was recorded among turners (+39%), equipment adjusters and operators of CNC machines (+25-29%). Engineers with AI skills and warehouse workers with digital competencies earn 15-70% more. Digitalization enhances the value of these roles," Platonova said.

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They do not want to enter the industry because of low salaries, hard work and the lack of prestige of the profession.

However, not all industries will benefit. In 2026, it is expected to reduce staff and salaries for specialists in the field of woodworking, leather production and the automotive industry. There remains a shortage in retail trade due to restrictions on attracting foreign labor, which stimulates wage growth in certain segments.

If we talk about office workers, there will be continued demand for administrative and financial positions with digital skills. In the IT industry, the demand for junior developers is falling, especially front-end developers, while the demand for fullstack engineers and architects is increasing. The expected increase in insurance premiums for IT companies to 15% will increase the burden on the payroll.

In the HR and marketing segment, competition is only intensifying: the number of resumes has increased by 28%, while demand has increased by only 7%. Office professionals without digital competencies are at risk of being cut back.

"2026 will be the year of redistribution of labor costs. It is important for employers to review their HR strategy in advance: invest in key specialists, audit functions, and plan for cost increases in individual segments," the specialist noted.

On November 24, investment expert Fyodor Stepanov told Izvestia that the success of retirement savings directly depends on the investment horizon, while starting as early as possible, systematically deferring 10-20% of income to expenses.

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