Historic low unemployment in Belarus: why it has become a major problem
The unemployment rate in Belarus has reached a new historic low – in the first quarter of 2026, it was only 2.3%. However, there’s no reason to rejoice, as this indicates serious problems in the economy and a labor shortage, BEROC expert Nastassia Luzhina said on Belsat TV. There’s a shortage of people in the economy.
29.04.2026
Nastassia Luzhina notes that the unemployment rate of 2.3% is very low.
‘It may seem wonderful that almost everyone has a job. However, we must understand that this indicates some problems in the economy and definitely a shortage [of personnel in the labor market – Ed.]. We see this in the number of open positions; there are quite a lot of them.Typically, an acceptable unemployment rate is 4-5%’, the expert says.
According to the Republican Job Bank, as of April 28, there were 140,477 open positions in the country. However, the bank only contains 21,729 resumes.
Employers are in need of a wide variety of drivers (9,928 positions) and cleaners (5,595). They also need doctors, including veterinarians (3,737 positions), nurses, and other healthcare workers (1,192). Salespeople (3,343) and laborers (3,227) are quite common. Less frequently needed are managers (2,403), accountants (1,543), legal advisers (390), teachers (334), and lawyers (41).
Meanwhile, only 4,872 positions offer salaries equal to or higher than the national average in March (Br2,975.8).
‘Wages in Minsk are significantly higher, while in the regions they are lower. Overall, the trend toward wage increases continues, but not at the same rapid pace as in 2024 or 2025’, noted Nastassia Luzhina.
And although the general expectation is to pay below the national average, the Eurasian Development Bank predicts that wages in Belarus will continue to rise. This is also a consequence of the labor shortage, according to Nastassia Luzhina.
«There is increased demand [for workers – Ed.]. And even taking into account negative GDP growth rates and negative labor productivity indicators, wages continue to rise. This suggests there aren’t enough people, and businesses and companies are willing to pay more,» notes Nastassia Luzgina.
Authorities are failing to address the problem
Against this backdrop, Belarusian authorities are attempting to address the problem by raising wages, combating «social parasites,» and attracting migrants.
‘Plus, there have been changes regarding the recruitment of pensioners. Previously, there were reduced pensions for people working, but now these limits have been abolished’, says Nastassia Luzhina.
She notes that, overall, Belarusian authorities are using methods common in many countries to combat labor shortages, with the exception of student placements and the fight against «social parasites.»
‘The question is how well or poorly they work in Belarus. For example, if we’re talking about the influx of migrant workers, state policy isn’t working very well. This is because people from other countries simply don’t want to come to Belarus.
While student placements can be used to send students to their local districts, the situation with migrants is much more complicated. ‘They need to be attracted by a market economy, good wages, a stable economy, prospects for growth, stability, and so on. We see that this hasn’t been very successful so far’, Nastassia Luzhina continues.
According to the expert, the situation could be significantly improved by changing management practices in the country.
‘At state-owned enterprises, for example, utilising their workforce may be insufficient, but people aren’t being laid off. This, of course, leads to increased costs for companies. They are forced to raise wages’, said Nastassia Luzhina. ‘In Belarus, a high proportion of enterprises, companies, are under state control. The policy has been for many years that we preserve these large companies and, accordingly, we preserve the jobs and people who work at these enterprises’.
The expert emphasises that this is often ineffective — many state-owned enterprises receive subsidies year after year, but fail to produce positive results.
‘If approaches to the economy itself were changed, more opportunities were provided to private businesses, and the state supported only those companies that make sense to support, so that they ultimately achieve positive results, then, to a certain extent, tensions in the labor market could be alleviated only by changes in public management’. concludes Nastassia Luzhina.
Source: https://en.belsat.eu/92979755/historic-low-unemployment-in-belarus-why-it-has-become-a-major-problem
