After overcoming the initial shock and adapting to operating under wartime conditions, Ukrainian businesses are gradually resuming activities. However, saying the labor market is reviving only means we’ve moved past the zero point.
At the end of February and early March, the main priority was ensuring people’s safety. Job vacancies were nearly nonexistent, and people weren’t actively seeking employment. Three months later, businesses have either resumed operations or determined that reopening isn’t feasible. In turn, many workers are searching for new jobs or side gigs, as numerous Ukrainians have lost employment or now receive reduced wages.
Full labor market recovery remains distant
Job openings are significantly below pre-war levels. Companies are cutting bonuses and reducing salaries to optimize costs. Demand for jobs far exceeds supply. Businesses cautiously express optimism about when they might return to pre-war commercial activity levels. Notably, 39.8% of companies cannot predict when, or if, they will ever fully recover.
Sales specialists were the most in demand in May, making up 19.6% of all job postings
However, this percentage has declined from 25.1% in January and 24.2% in February. IT, internet, and telecom specialists came next, accounting for 15.6% of postings, showing positive growth over recent months. This suggests that IT remains among the least affected sectors.
The hardest hit are specialists in insurance, law, education, automotive, security, procurement, HoReCa, and fitness
Job opportunities for these sectors are minimal. Openings for entry-level workers and students make up 10%, while transport and logistics (8.1%), labor roles (6.4%), marketing and PR (5.6%), healthcare (5.1%), construction (4.7%), manufacturing, agriculture (4.2%), and accounting (3.7%) are also in demand.
As Ukraine repairs infrastructure, job postings for builders, engineers, and architects have risen.
Regional trends show variations
Kyiv leads in job openings and salaries, yet lacks demand for healthcare, construction, and labor roles. Instead, media, administrative, and senior management positions are slightly more available in Kyiv. The capital accounts for 35.8% of job offers. Cities like Lviv (17.1%), Dnipro (8.5%), Odesa (3.4%), Ivano-Frankivsk (2.9%), and Cherkasy (2.9%) follow. Regions like Sumy, Volyn, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kyiv (excluding the capital), Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson have the fewest openings.
Job competition remains fierce
State data shows 12 candidates per job opening on average. The hardest-hit areas include Kharkiv (19 applicants per job), Zaporizhzhia (17), Odesa (14), Kyiv (13.4), and Sumy (11.1). Interestingly, Kyiv’s competition level is relatively lower, averaging 9.5 applicants per position. Lviv boasts the lowest competition, with 1-2 candidates per job.
Businesses prioritize retaining employees
Average salaries in April were 10% lower than pre-war levels and have continued to drop across many sectors in May. Fields like security, tourism, and entry-level jobs see average wages ranging from 9,200 to 13,100 UAH. Salary declines span up to 58% in raw materials, installation, and service sectors.
Despite this trend, a few sectors saw pay increases
Automotive industry wages rebounded from 11,000 UAH in April to 14,500 UAH in May. Manufacturing and agriculture also saw growth, while healthcare salaries rose to 18,200 UAH. Financial roles, HR, and marketing positions similarly experienced pay hikes, with marketing professionals seeing a jump from 26,600 UAH to 30,800 UAH.
IT sector wages remain high despite a slight dip
Average IT salaries dropped from 108,100 UAH in April to 103,500 UAH in May, still leading across all sectors. Regionally, Kyiv offers the highest average salaries, recovering to 29,200 UAH. Poltava, Lviv, Odesa, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kharkiv also report competitive wages. The lowest salaries are found in Chernihiv, Ternopil, Volyn, and nearby regions, ranging from 12,400 to 14,200 UAH.
