Labour mobility: Preparedness to move to find a new job
Region | Willing to move % | % Russian mean |
West Siberia | 29 | 168 |
North Caucasus | 20 | 120 |
Northern | 19 | 113 |
Far East | 19 | 112 |
East Siberia | 18 | 104 |
RUSSIAN MEAN | 17 | 100 |
Central | 17 | 98 |
North-west | 16 | 92 |
Urals | 15 | 89 |
Central Black Earth | 12 | 70 |
Volgo-Vyatka | 12 | 69 |
Volga | 10 | 61 |
Source: VCIOM. Russian nationwide surveys, 1997. |
In theory, people who lose their job can move to another city to find work. But this assumes that jobs are there; in Russia today, this is hardly the case. It also assumes that people can easily find a place to live and move their family. But in Russia there is not a proper housing market, and individuals depend on informal networks of family support to supplement or replace wages, and these are usually lost by moving cities. Hence, only 17 per cent in the labour force are prepared to move cities to seek a new job. The readiness to move is highest in West Siberia, and the resistance to move is strongest in the Volgo-Vyatka and Volga regions.