Since the start of 2022, the IT job market has cooled in Russia, while the number of resumes has surged, according to data referenced by RBC from HeadHunter. The same source highlights that demand for information technology professionals followed a similar pattern across large markets, including Canada and the United States, where shifts in hiring activity have mirrored global trends. The core takeaway is a clear divergence: fewer open roles and more job seekers, a dynamic watched closely by analysts and hiring teams alike.
From January to August, open IT roles declined by a quarter, dropping from about 114.6 thousand to roughly 85.2 thousand. In February the vacancy count was around 126.9 thousand, after which it trended downward month by month. In contrast, the number of resumes climbed steadily, rising 55 percent between January and August, from 211.1 thousand to 327 thousand. This contrast signals a market where supply is expanding faster than demand, a situation prompting recruiters and hiring managers to reassess talent pipelines, compensation benchmarks, and regional sourcing strategies. These numbers, traced in part to HeadHunter data and summarized by RBC, place the North American job landscape as a useful reference point for understanding shifts in similar tech fields abroad.
Industry analysts note that the fall in demand for IT specialists may be temporary, as some employees of firms withdrawing from the Russian market seek opportunities within domestic organizations. Yet the forecast remains nuanced: as import substitution policies take hold, opportunities for programmers could rebound. This predicted uptick would likely influence wage dynamics, project needs, and the geographic distribution of vacancies, a cycle often observed when technology sectors realign after a disruption of this scale.
Natalya Danina, who leads Customer Productivity and serves as a senior labor market specialist at HeadHunter, points to a surge in resumes driven by a wave of new job seekers who have completed popular online courses. This influx brings a younger cohort into the labor pool, expanding the candidate slate across IT roles. Nevertheless, even with the influx of new workers, the industry continues to require qualified professionals to fill sophisticated positions and drive complex projects forward, a sentiment echoed by Renat Lashin, managing director of the Software Developers Association Domestic Soft, who stresses ongoing demand for skilled practitioners.
Advisor reports from mid-August also noted a notable rise in unemployment among workers with experience in foreign IT firms who are now aligned with Russian companies, including names such as Microsoft, SAP, HP, IBM, and Siemens. This shift underscores a broader transition for professionals who are navigating new employment ecosystems while incumbents adapt to evolving market needs. Taken together, these factors paint a picture of a dynamic IT labor market that experiences cyclical ebbs and flows, with supply growth and demand fluctuations shaping hiring strategies across North America and beyond.