St. Petersburg leads in share of employed persons with disabilities
St. Petersburg has held the leading position in Russia for five years in the share of employed citizens with disabilities of working age. As of the end of 2024, this figure in the city is 37.1%. Out of 117 thousand people with disabilities of appropriate age, 43 thousand have jobs.
Data published in the draft of the updated state city program for employment support shows the distribution by disability groups:
- Group III — 26 thousand employed,
- Group II — 15 thousand,
- Group I — 2 thousand.
The document notes that in the medium term, an increase in the number of people with disabilities is forecast in St. Petersburg. This is due to the return of participants in the special military operation, the level of disability among whom exceeds forecasts.
According to information from the Russian Ministry of Labour, 54% of wounded participants in the special military operation have amputations. Of these, 20% are amputations of upper limbs, and 80% — of lower limbs.
Authorities believe that the growing number of people with disabilities requires accelerated creation of special conditions for their integration into the labor sphere. This task becomes particularly urgent against the backdrop of a predicted nationwide personnel shortage, which by 2030 could reach 4 million people, with 90% of them being highly qualified specialists.
As part of the state program, a set of measures is proposed, including:
- stimulating employers to hire people with disabilities,
- allocating subsidies for creating workplaces, including specialized ones,
- organizing temporary protected employment,
- priority budget funding for internships.
Special attention is paid to veterans of the special military operation. The draft program states: «Considering the high level of disability due to severe wounds (injuries) of participants in the special military operation and the impossibility of immediately entering the open labor market... it is necessary to ensure their gradual inclusion in the labor process with the help of a labor instructor within the framework of protected employment.»
St. Petersburg Vice-Governor Kirill Polyakov confirmed the priority of this task in an interview: «Of course, all veterans and participants of the special military operation must be employed, this is the president»s decree. And if they want to continue working at St. Petersburg enterprises, they all have staff workplaces to which they were attached. Second — this is free retraining for any specialties, this is also enshrined in federal legislation. For any specialties they want.«
The city administration is currently developing a separate program for the employment of participants in the special military operation.
