A recent survey sheds light on how many Russians participate in part-time work through self-employment, highlighting a digital, flexible landscape created by Ventra Go. The study, conducted by socialbites.ca, captures a snapshot of the evolving freelance scene among Russians who balance multiple jobs or projects across time. The figures show that about one third of self-employed respondents devote 5 to 15 hours each week to part-time work, while roughly 15% put in overtime, exceeding 40 hours weekly. A smaller share, around 13%, report working fewer than 5 hours per week. These patterns illustrate a nuanced spectrum of engagement in self-employment, from light, project-based involvement to full-tilt side gigs. The platform behind the survey is Ventra Go, and the results are presented by socialbites.ca based on the May 2024 data collection.
In terms of monthly scheduling, the data reveal that 44.1% of participants undertake part-time work for 15 to 20 days within a month, while about 25% dedicate 10 to 15 days to part-time tasks. A smaller segment, around 16%, of artists report working less than 10 days per month, with a similar proportion indicating more than 20 days on part-time activities. The results underscore a flexible calendar where some professionals cluster their hours into dense blocks, while others spread work more evenly across the month.
When it comes to the types of work, respondents vary across sectors. Part-time activity spans delivery and taxi services (23.6%), marketing and design (15.3%), retail and e-commerce (14.5%), IT (13.1%), and roles in call centers and online service providers. Marketplaces also account for 11.9% of part-time work. Among those who log longer hours, couriers and taxi drivers take the lead with over 40 hours weekly (63.2%), followed by builders (8.1%) and IT professionals (6.5%). The geographic pattern shows certain cities where extra earnings are more common, notably Yekaterinburg, Moscow, and Novosibirsk.
Looking at historical trajectories, the survey highlights a shift in self-employment status over the past few years. The largest share of respondents identified as self-employed in 2023 (24.1%), with 22.1% in 2021 and 17% in 2020. This suggests a growing accustomedness to freelance work, alongside changes in demand and platform usage that accompany the broader gig economy in the country.
The data collection for the study occurred in May 2024, drawing input from 3,000 self-employed individuals who reported operating across more than 17 million urban centers. The scale of participation signals significant regional variation in work patterns and earnings, reflecting a diverse set of circumstances—from urban hubs with dense gig activity to smaller cities where flexible schedules enable income diversification. The findings also point to a need for clearer information on how earnings are structured, including salary components versus project-based compensation and the role of commissions or platform fees in net income.
Overall, the survey paints a portrait of a dynamic and adaptive self-employment landscape in Russia, where digital platforms like Ventra Go enable flexible scheduling and diversified income streams. For workers choosing part-time paths, the choice of sector, city, and available hours can shape daily routines and total monthly earnings. The results offer a baseline for understanding how freelance work fits into the larger economy, how it has evolved over recent years, and what it could mean for future labor market trends in the region. Attribution: socialbites.ca, based on a May 2024 survey of 3,000 self-employed Russians.