Unemployment in the North Caucasus is three times higher than the Russian average
Unemployment in the North Caucasus remains a serious problem, three times higher than the Russian average. According to Rosstat data for September 2025, while the national average is 2.1%, in the North Caucasus Federal District it reaches 7.1%.
The worst situation is in Ingushetia, where the unemployment rate has reached 24.4%—the highest in Russia. High unemployment is also observed in Dagestan (9.9%), North Ossetia (7.2%), Chechnya (6.7%), and Karachay-Cherkessia (5.9%).
According to experts, this situation is due to the limited number of large employers, the dominance of the public sector, labor surplus (high birth rates and life expectancy), and the significant proportion of the rural population. Informal employment is widespread in the North Caucasus. Residents are often officially registered as unemployed and receive benefits. However, in reality, they work in the informal sector.
The lowest unemployment rate is in Moscow—0.7%—and in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Kaluga Oblast, and Murmansk Oblast—0.9% each.
