Overview of Prison Labor Programs and Employment Rules
The Federal Penitentiary Service has reported growing interest from businesses in employing prisoners. The agency states that a large majority of those sentenced to penal labor participate in work under the system, with 99 percent connected to forced labor programs, as cited by vedomosti.
Current figures show that about 35,300 prisoners are involved in labor programs. Of these, roughly 9,300 work with private companies while about 26,000 perform tasks under state labor service arrangements within 1,700 organizations. At the start of 2023, more than 300 correctional facilities were in existence where up to 40,000 prisoners could be employed. Plans to expand these opportunities include raising the number of available positions to 80,000 by 2024 as part of the broader labor policy expansion.
The Federal Penitentiary Service emphasizes that prison labor has become a practical means to offset shortages in the labor market and help balance workforce needs across sectors.
Beginning on October 1, 2023, individual entrepreneurs gained the ability to hire prisoners for work. This change also enables the establishment of correctional centers in the form of dormitories within enterprises, expanding the potential work environments for inmates.
There are indications that leaders in large manufacturing groups have explored the possibility of including prisoners as part of their production processes, with public statements indicating consideration of this approach as part of broader employment strategies.
Earlier reports noted that more than 100 pardoned prisoners returned from operations in the NVO region after serving in the PMC Wagner. Such movements illustrate the broader social and economic dimensions of prisoner labor programs and their impact on local communities and industries.