In the first two months of 2025, the average monthly earnings of tax law specialists in Russia rose by 18 percent to 95,387 rubles. The vacancies for tax law experts also increased, by 11 percent compared with 2023, according to data published by HH.RU, Moscow Digital School, and EBR. Analysts note that these shifts reflect the impact of 2024 tax legislation on the labor market, with some changes extending into 2025 and shaping hiring dynamics across sectors.
Several reforms took effect on January 1, 2025. The simplified taxation system began requiring VAT payments, a new progressive personal income tax regime was introduced, and corporate income tax rates rose for certain groups. Experts warn that artificial fragmentation of work arrangements and other innovations have heighted tax risk for employers and professionals, prompting a stronger demand for skilled tax specialists who can interpret and apply the rules correctly in complex regulatory environments.
Igor Gibkov, president of EBR Tax Application, commented that firms are compelled to recruit tax law experts to navigate the new rules and to minimize potential financial losses. The practical need to ensure compliance and avoid penalties has become a central consideration for firms across sectors, from construction to retail, as they adapt to the evolving tax landscape.
Vacancies for tax lawyers are most plentiful in legal consulting, construction, real estate, corporate tax, and the financial sector. Demand is also rising in retail, logistics, and manufacturing. In addition, growth in demand was observed in culture and arts (approximately doubling), forestry (about 80 percent), energy (around 57 percent), and agriculture (about 55 percent). These shifts indicate a broad-based recalibration of demand across industries as companies reassess tax risk, transfer pricing, and regulatory compliance in the current environment.
Salary leaders in early 2025 were found in art and culture, charitable and social activities with about 130 thousand rubles per month; marketing and media followed with around 115 thousand; hotel business alongside legal services offered roughly 110 thousand per month to top earners. The fastest salary growth by sector during the first two months appeared in metallurgy at 38 percent, the automobile sector at 33 percent, and telecommunications at 29 percent, signaling wage acceleration across multiple fields as organizations compete for qualified tax professionals who can manage risk and ensure efficient tax planning.
Employers now prefer candidates who have contract-based experience and can interact effectively with information and regulatory authorities as well as courts. This requirement underscores the increasing importance of practical, process-oriented skills that help organizations stay compliant, resolve disputes, and optimize tax outcomes in a changing regulatory climate. In a market where regulatory expectations are tightening, professionals who can bridge tax theory with real-world application are particularly valuable.
A separate note from KP pointed to a social statistic: 52 percent of Russians reportedly believe that the husband should earn more than the wife, illustrating how societal attitudes toward earnings can intersect with wage trends and career choices in the country.