Job Search in Russia: A Split-Population Model

Studies on job search in Russia regularly raise the problem of separating seekers from non-seekers and forming a sample for empirical analysis of job search. Different researchers provide different solutions to the problem, but there are two main approaches to constructing a sample. The first one is to use data only on registered unemployment, the second approach is to use data from surveys that include questions on whether a respondent is searching for job and is ready to start working after receiving an acceptable offer. This paper provides estimates of an empirical job search model that explains both decision whether to seek a job or not and a probability of a successful search. That decision is unobservable and may not coincide with answers that individuals give during the survey. The model is estimated using data from Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (RLMS-HSE) for the 2000–2014 period. According to obtained estimates, most of the non-employed may be considered as job seekers. The results not only provide a new insight into economic activity of non-employed but also show a possibility to significantly enhance information base for empirical studies on job search.