Salaries on the Rise and Fall: How Workers’ Earnings Changed in CIS Countries
In the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), wages are still unevenly distributed: workers in raw materials, finance, and high-tech industries earn much more than those in socially important fields like public services and agriculture. At the same time, in most CIS countries, both nominal and real wages increased in 2025. The General Confederation of Trade Unions analyzed salary trends both across the CIS as a whole and in specific economic sectors.
According to the General Confederation of Trade Unions, the lowest ratio of average sectoral wages to the national average is found in agriculture, forestry, and fishing: the minimum figures are recorded in Tajikistan (42%), Uzbekistan (53%), and Azerbaijan (63%). In education, the lowest wage index is registered in Armenia (55%), and in healthcare—Uzbekistan (62%) and Kyrgyzstan (63%). Even in countries where agricultural workers receive relatively high wages for their sector, payments still fall short of the national average. For example, in Belarus, the average wage in agriculture is only 86% of the national average.
At the opposite end of the spectrum are the sectors with traditionally high wages. The highest wage index is recorded in Armenia’s financial and insurance sector (434%). In mining, Azerbaijan leads with wages at 358% of the national average. In the information and communication sector, Armenia (266%), Moldova, and Uzbekistan (both 232%) show the highest figures.
In 2025, wages across the CIS generally showed positive growth. According to the CIS Statistical Committee, the average growth in nominal income ranges from 6.1% in Armenia to 25.1% in Uzbekistan. Real wages, adjusted for inflation, have increased in most countries: from 2.2% in Moldova to 16.9% in Tajikistan. Kazakhstan is the exception with a 2% decrease was recorded.
The minimum wage saw the largest increase in 2025 in Tajikistan (25%). Significant rises were also recorded in Moldova and Uzbekistan (10%). Higher growth rates compared to previous years were noted in Belarus, Russia, and Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Armenia and Kazakhstan didn’t index the minimum wage.
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