Krasnodar region ranks among regions with the most self-employed individuals
Russia's Self-Employed Population Thriving in Key Regions
Russia's self-employed population is on the rise, particularly in key regions such as Moscow, the Moscow region, St. Petersburg, the Volga Federal District, and the Krasnodar Krai.
According to Elena Zyabbarova, head of the Moscow Department of Finance, these regions house a significant portion of Russia's self-employed individuals. Moscow, with over 2 million self-employed citizens, accounts for one in seven of the total self-employed population in the country. The Moscow region and St. Petersburg follow closely, each with over 800,000 self-employed individuals.
The Krasnodar Krai, one of the regions with a large population of self-employed individuals, comes fourth in Russia in terms of the number of registered self-employed individuals. The region also boasts a special tax status for its self-employed population, making it an attractive destination for entrepreneurs. The Krasnodar Krai is home to over 658,000 people with this special tax status.
The Volga Federal District, which includes Tatarstan, is another region with a high concentration of self-employed individuals. Approximately 14 million self-employed individuals are registered across Russia, and in the Volga Federal District, around 49% of platform economy users engage in part-time or temporary work using self-employment status. Tatarstan itself has seen a 31% increase in responses to part-time job offers, indicating a high level of engagement in self-employment.
Self-employed individuals in these regions benefit from a special tax status introduced to formalize temporary and informal employment, reducing participation in the grey economy and simplifying legal employment relationships. This move has contributed to the growth of the platform economy and part-time labor market in Russia.
While the exact population figures for self-employed individuals per region are not provided, the Volga Federal District, specifically Tatarstan, appears to have one of the highest concentrations. Russia's overall population is estimated at 146 million as of early 2025, with Tatarstan accounting for a notable share among ethnic Russian-minority republics with 40.3% ethnic Russians.
The self-employed primarily operate in sectors such as construction, passenger transportation, marketing, real estate rental, and advertising. The most in-demand areas for self-employment remain these sectors, with Moscow, the Moscow region, St. Petersburg, the Krasnodar Krai, and the Volga Federal District leading the way in self-employment growth and development.
In Russia, the self-employed population is significantly concentrated in key business hubs such as Moscow, the Moscow region, St. Petersburg, the Krasnodar Krai, and the Volga Federal District, with Moscow alone accounting for one-seventh of the country's self-employed individuals. The Krasnodar Krai offers an attractive destination for entrepreneurs due to its special finance status for self-employed individuals.
In the Volga Federal District, which includes Tatarstan, self-employed individuals engage heavily in part-time or temporary work and benefit from a special tax status designed to formalize temporary and informal employment. This has contributed to the growth of the platform economy and part-time labor market in Russia.
