Labor resources in the Jewish Autonomous Region: their state assessment and development trends

Currently, most regions of the Russian Federation have trends towards a significant decrease in labor force, population aging, along with an increase in premature mortality. This situation predetermines the need in most effective use of labor resources and their reproduction available in the regions. This paper analyzes and assesses the current state and main trends of labor resources and employment in the Jewish Autonomous region. A comprehensive assessment of labor resources use efficiency in the Jewish Autonomous region is given based on the following key indicators: the labor resources average annual number dynamics; population distribution by age groups; the labor replacement rate dynamics; dynamics of the economically active population, both employed and unemployed; dynamics of the average annual number of employees in organizations with a different type of ownership; the employed people number, structure and dynamics according to the type of economic activity, level of education, age and gender; individual indicators for labor market tension dynamics and those for the JAR population living standards. The conducted study covers the period of 2018–2023, which allows us to determine the main trends in the formation and development of labor resources in the region under study. The authors have identified the main problems and imbalances in the JAR labor market: labor force reduction for the entire period under study; a decrease in the employed population, including employed youth, caused by negative migration; the lack of highly qualified staff, both skilled workers and senior management personnel, etc. It has been concluded that without a current well-thought-out state policy in the sphere of labor market regulation and creating optimal conditions for employment in the Jewish Autonomous region, it is almost impossible to solve the problem of labor resources reduction and of personnel shortage. It is also necessary to conduct a more effective demographic policy. In addition, it is important to raise the workforce professionalism, improving the system of vocational education, training, retraining and advanced training.