The first labour migrants from Sri Lanka have arrived in Russia, with some already reporting unpaid wages, as Moscow looks to South Asia to address a deepening workforce shortage, TASS reported on March 24.

Russia's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Levan Dzhagaryan, told the agency that the arrivals so far involved only small groups and that there were no grounds to expect a mass influx in the near term.

He said organisational difficulties and problems encountered by the first arrivals were dampening enthusiasm among potential migrants.

Some of the Sri Lankan workers had not been paid in the Pskov region, Dzhagaryan said, without providing further details.

Sri Lanka's ambassador to Moscow, Shobini Gunasekera, had previously said her country was ready to send both skilled and unskilled workers to Russia, citing their adaptability, capacity for integration and strong work ethic.

She described the Russian labour market as a promising area for bilateral cooperation, particularly given Russia's workforce deficit.

Russia's labour shortfall spans multiple sectors. Accounts Chamber auditor Elena Boytsova previously reported a shortage of around 12,000 specialists in construction and road maintenance alone.

Recruitment agencies have recorded growing hiring of workers from Africa and Asia, including India, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

Experts said Sri Lanka could become one of several new labour sources for Russia as traditional migration flows from Central Asia come under pressure. The Sri Lankan ambassador first raised the prospect of expanded worker migration in December 2025.