Kirill Chernovol, Researcher at the Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy, commented for RBC on the rise in freelancers' incomes and explained why freelance work is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to traditional employment.
In 2025, the labor market is showing a steady shift toward project-based employment. Freelancers’ rates are rising faster than office salaries, as companies are willing to pay more for flexibility, speed, and highly specialized skills, while simultaneously reducing costs related to taxes, social benefits, and office maintenance. This approach allows businesses to quickly scale teams to meet specific tasks without increasing fixed costs. Income growth is particularly noticeable in segments with severe labor shortages — IT, analytics, and creative industries.
At the same time, in sectors with fewer shortages, the growth rates of freelancers’ earnings are gradually converging with the dynamics of traditional salaries. Experts note that if current demand persists, companies may face a gradual exodus of specialists from full-time positions toward more flexible employment formats.
“It is more likely that in ‘shortage’ fields, where labor demand far exceeds supply, growth rates will be higher, while in other fields, they will be closer to the growth rates of salaries in traditional employment,” notes Kirill Chernovol.