Recruiter named the most sought-after professions in Russia in 2026

In 2026, the Russian economy will continue to increase the demand for engineers, skilled workers and specialists in high-tech industries. Svetlana Perkova, an HR expert and founder of the ALL HR agency, told Izvestia about this, noting that personnel trends are directly related to import substitution and the country's technological sovereignty.

"In 2026, the labor market will continue to respond to the priorities of import substitution, technological sovereignty, national projects and security. Therefore, the profile of the sought—after specialties will be closely linked to the development of these sectors of the economy," explained Perkova.

According to her, it is the industry that will become the main consumer of personnel. Engineers, programmers of CNC machines, turners, milling workers and designers of heavy machinery and aircraft industry will be in particular demand. The active introduction of automation increases the demand for specialists capable of creating and maintaining new technological solutions.

The expert noted that job growth is also expected in science — in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and the defense industry. The demand for IT specialists will continue to increase: developers of solutions based on artificial intelligence, roboticists and cybersecurity experts.

The restructuring of the economy leads to an increase in the need for logistics and foreign trade specialists. The redistribution of logistics flows makes this area strategically important," said Perkova.

At the same time, as the expert emphasized, the importance of flexible skills and multifunctionality is growing in the market. Employers need employees who are adaptable, have digital competence, and are able to work in a team.

"The key skill is becoming the ability to learn, because the rate of change is very high in the world right now," she added.

According to Perkova, the labor market will experience a "chronic shortage of personnel" in the coming years, primarily in technical and working professions, engineering and cybersecurity.

For more information about how the labor market will be in the near future, see the Izvestia article.

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