<p>The structure of a laser pulse may significantly affect the dynamics of particles interacting with it. In the case of a rarefied plasma, single-particle approach to the problem is a good approximation. This paper considers the problem of absorption of the orbital angular momentum by a single particle in a focused structured pulse. Within the framework of the developed theoretical model, which includes the solution of the Maxwell equations with required accuracy and a high-order perturbation theory, the motion of electrons is considered in a number of important cases. Analytical results are compared with the data of numerical simulation. It is demonstrated that the angular dependence in the structure of the laser pulse plays a fundamental role in the absorption of the orbital angular momentum of a wave by an ensemble of charged particles.</p>