Number of Self-Employed Individuals in Moscow Exceeds 2.4 Million
As of July 1, 2026, the number of people paying the professional income tax in Moscow exceeded 2.4 million. This represents 14% of the total number of self-employed individuals registered in Russia, said Maria Bagreeva, Deputy Mayor of Moscow and Head of the Moscow Department of Economic Policy and Development.
“Residents of the capital are increasingly choosing self-employment. For many, this tax regime has become a convenient tool for running a business, an opportunity to manage their own work schedules, monetize their hobbies, and fully realize their professional potential. Self-employed professionals are actively exploring a wide range of fields, including IT services and tutoring, marketing and transportation, as well as other professions requiring advanced skills. In the first half of 2026, 156,000 new professional income taxpayers registered in the capital, bringing the total number to more than 2.4 million as of July 1. The city offers self-employed professionals a wide range of opportunities for development, from convenient digital services to training programs, helping them integrate effectively into the capital’s economy and thereby strengthening its competitiveness,” emphasized Maria Bagreeva.
The professional income tax is designed for individuals who work independently without hiring employees. Its key advantages include simplified registration, an automated system for reporting income, as well as exemption from the requirement to file tax returns and use cash registers.
The most popular occupations among self-employed individuals, based on the activities they reported when registering, are passenger and freight transportation, delivery services, apartment rentals, advertising, and marketing.
From January through June 2026, Moscow’s professional income taxpayers issued 122.7 million receipts to their customers. The average receipt amount at the end of March was RUB 2,852.
In the first half of 2026, self-employed individuals paid more than RUB 10.6 billion into the Moscow budget, 7% more than in the same period of 2025. In total, since the introduction of the professional income tax regime, more than RUB 70 billion has been transferred to the city budget.
Moscow offers extensive opportunities for professional development, including for residents who choose an entrepreneurial career path. At the Professions of the Future innovative career services center and its practical training facility in Pechatniki, residents can master one of 75 in-demand professions across various sectors of the economy in three months. After completing their training, graduates can find employment with leading employers in the city or launch their own businesses.
At the flagship My Career center on Shabolovka Street, a comprehensive support system for entrepreneurs is available. Career consultants help residents assess their potential, understand the specifics of starting and running a business, prepare a business plan, register as self-employed, and find their first customers.
