Summary
mom2mom posted an online survey in Russian in women's and diaspora communities. In less than a day, from the evening of 30 October to midday on 31 October 2026, 100 mothers answered. Most of them have moved abroad.
They are out of work, not out of skills. 53% don't work right now, and 71% have been out for 2 years or more. Among them are developers, marketers, accountants, doctors, lawyers and an architect.
They are trying. 80% are looking for work or plan to within 3 months. 38% never got an offer from an employer.
What they ask for most: paid projects from companies (57%). 88% are open to paid tasks as an independent expert.
Who answered
Skilled professionals, many with 7–15 years of experience: software developers and testers, marketers, accountants and finance specialists, doctors, lawyers, an architect, teachers and designers.
| Women | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Don't work right now | 53 | 53% |
| Not working and want to return | 33 | 33% |
| On maternity leave | 19 | 19% |
| Out of work for 2 years or more | 71 | 71% |
| Out of work for over 3 years | 40 | 40% |
| Youngest child under 3 | 37 | 37% |
| Pregnant, or youngest child under 8 (the pilot's age cap) | 76 | 76% |
Those who work often work below their level
47 of the 100 women work. Only 18 of them (38%) say their job fully matches their qualifications. 20 say it matches partly, and 8 say they work below their level.
They are trying, and hear nothing back
80 of 100 (80%) are looking for work or projects, or plan to start within 3 months. When they apply, the most common result is silence: 38 women (38%) never got an offer from an employer.
“I respond to vacancies, but they don't even invite me to an interview.”
What stops them
Missing skills are not the main problem. Time, language and access are. Women could pick several answers.
| Barrier | Women | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hard to combine work with childcare | 46 | 46% |
| Not confident in her own skills | 44 | 44% |
| Language level | 42 | 42% |
| No suitable schedule or format | 40 | 40% |
| Doesn't know where to look | 37 | 37% |
| Skills out of date | 32 | 32% |
| Documents or recognition of qualifications | 23 | 23% |
Belief in their skills, not in their chances
65 women (65%) rate their professional skills 4 or 5 out of 5. Still, 44 (44%) say low confidence holds them back. They know what they can do. They doubt anyone will give them a chance to show it.
What they ask for
| Help they want | Women | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Paid projects from companies | 57 | 57% |
| A professional community and contacts | 56 | 56% |
| Updating skills | 55 | 55% |
| Mentoring from an experienced specialist | 51 | 51% |
| Direct access to employers | 38 | 38% |
| Help with CV, portfolio and interviews | 36 | 36% |
88 of 100 (88%) are open to paid tasks for companies as an independent expert: 33 are ready to try now, 45 want more information first, and 10 would try with a mentor's support. Only 6 are not interested.
How much they can work
55 women (55%) can give 20 hours a week or less. The formats they want most are part-time work (57%), a permanent job (53%) and their own business (43%). A one-off project on its own interests only 34%.
What it means for mom2mom
- 1
The model matches what they ask for. A paid project with a company is the single thing they want most.
- 2
The project has to fit around childcare. About 10 hours a week and remote.
- 3
The project is a step toward a job, not the end goal. Most want part-time or permanent work after it.
- 4
Mentoring matters. It closes the gap between how they rate their skills and how they rate their chances.
- 5
The first pilot group is already here. 33 are ready to try now and 45 want details: 78 women for 30 pilot places.
Limits
The figures cover all 100 respondents. The pilot is for mothers who are pregnant or have a youngest child under 8. 76 respondents (76%) fit that cap, and 61 of them are ready to try or want details.
This is a small sample of 100 women. They chose to answer, found the survey through our communities, and answered in Russian. It shows clear patterns, but it does not represent all mothers who have moved abroad. The pilot will test these numbers with real projects.
The survey is still open. If you are a mother who moved to a new country, add your answers. The questions are in Russian. Answer the survey →
These findings back our recommendations to policymakers. Read the policy paper →