Poll finds deep anxiety about labour shortages

Most Russians (88%) think the government should make a special effort to raise the national birthrate. That is what ROMIR Monitoring found in a poll of 1,500 Russians conducted August 21-25. Only 9% of those polled took the opposite position, with 3% of respondents unable to answer.

Approximately 59% of those polled expressed anxiety about the nation's shrinking work force, while 26% said they were somewhat disturbed by the situation. Approximately 13% of those polled took the opposite view, with 2% not responding. The majority (53%) of poll respondents think the reduction in the number of Russians able to work will affect the nation's economy, one-third (31%) believe that it probably will have a negative effect. Only 4% of those polled took the opposite position, and 9% of those polled consider that 'there will be no effect.' Another 3% were unable to answer the question.

Nonetheless, many of those polled (44%) do not think that the government should encourage use of foreign workers in Russian enterprises as a way of dealing with a deficit of labour. Approximately 13% were even more categorical, opting for a barrier to be placed in the way of immigrants. Only workers from CIS countries and from developed countries should be allowed to work in Russia, 11% and 14% of respondents, respectively, said. At the same time, 12% of respondents believed that the government ought to assist the flow of workers to Russian work sites from any place of origin. Approximately 5% of respondents were unable to answer the question.