Regional differentiation in the sex and age structure of commuters and FIFO workers in Russia

The article examines the age and sex characteristics of commuters and FIFO (fly-in, fly-out) workers in Russia based on data from the All-Russian Population Census of 2020. The results show that men are more involved in commuting and FIFO, accounting for 61.7% of all commuters and FIFO-workers. The highest proportion of male is registered in regions with developed extractive and manufacturing industries. Differences in the distribution of male and female migrants by age groups are relatively small, with both sexes primarily participating in commuting and FIFO in the working-age groups from 30 to 39 years. This indicates that both commuting and FIFO attract workers who have already received professional education and possess the necessary work experience. Analysis of international studies shows that younger workers are more willing to ravel significant distances for career opportunities, which is most typical for the early stages of their professional development. As age increases, along with marriage and family expansion, there is a tendency to shorten travel distances; older workers prefer to move shorter distances, although trip distances may temporarily increase just before retirement. The research results can be useful for understanding the dynamics of spatial movements of the labor force in the context of demographic and economic changes in Russia, and also allow us to identify areas for further analysis and formation of a differentiated regional policy in the field of labor and employment. The data obtained serve as an important stage in the systematization of empirical data on return labor migration and analytical base for further studies.

return labor migration, shift work, age and sex structure of commuters and FIFO workers, regional differentiation