The National Association of Builders (NOSTROY), Russia’s largest association of self-regulatory organisations in the construction sector, is set to expand its workforce on various construction sites in the country by attracting qualified specialists from India.

The initiative, as outlined by NOSTROY President Anton Glushkov on Friday, aims at enhancing the quality and expertise of the labour force in the Russian construction industry.

“We are actively working on developing partnerships with India, a country that offers immense potential in the skilled labour market. We are not interested in merely increasing numbers with general labourers, but rather focusing on professionals with verified qualifications,” Glushkov remarked at an international construction forum held in Yekaterinburg.

This comes as part of a broader project where the qualifications of foreign workers, particularly from India and Uzbekistan, are certified by Russian authorities. Under the scheme, workers enter the industry with verified diplomas, ensuring they meet the required standards for Russian construction projects.

NOSTROY also plans to act as a guarantor for foreign workers, overseeing crucial aspects such as their housing, transportation, and ensuring timely payments. In return, foreign institutions will be responsible for maintaining the quality of training provided to their workers.

At present, nearly 80 per cent of the foreign workforce on Russian construction sites consists of unqualified labourers. NOSTROY’s goal is to significantly reduce this figure, limiting the use of unqualified workers to no more than 20 per cent of the total workforce.

According to Marat Khusnullin, the Russian Deputy Prime Minister for Construction and Regional Development, this shift aims to address the ongoing labour shortage in the Russian construction sector, which currently lacks 200,000 workers.

In response to this shortage, Russia is also investing in the establishment of training centres for the education and re-training of construction professionals.

Experts believe that these efforts reflect the country’s long-term strategy to build a more skilled workforce, ensuring the successful completion of large-scale infrastructure projects.

The international construction forum held at Yekaterinburg is a key industry event featuring over 600 companies and 1,000 speakers across more than 200 sections. The event is co-organised by the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Public Utilities of the Russian Federation.