The 2026 Labor Shortage: Which Professionals Are Now Worth Their Weight in Gold
22 May 12:14
Currently, the issue of labor shortages is one of the most discussed topics in the labor market. In particular, it has gained even more attention in light of Ukraine’s recruitment of migrant workers in the spring of 2026. The OLX Job team analyzed which categories on the platform saw a noticeable increase in job postings from employers, and where, conversely, the number of listings decreased and candidates are less in demand, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
The most noticeable increase in demand among employers was for assembly line workers in the manufacturing and blue-collar categories: nearly 10-fold (with a median salary of 27,500 UAH).
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We are also seeing an increase in job openings in the manufacturing sector for:
- Assemblers, 43% (median salary of 31,300 UAH)
- Assistants, 34% (median salary of 27,500 UAH)
- Designers, 27% (median salary of 32,500 UAH)
- Excavator operators, 22% (median salary 45,000 UAH)
Workers in the construction and finishing trades are also in high demand, where the labor shortage remains one of the most significant. Specifically, over the past year, 37% of job postings were for electricians ( 38,300 UAH), 35% for general laborers ( 27,000 UAH), 10% for bricklayers ( 60,000 UAH), 9% for installers ( 45,000 UAH), plumbers ( 42,500 UAH), and foremen ( 49,800 UAH).
In the retail sector in April 2026, compared to 2025, there was an increase in job postings for supervisors, accounting for 43% of the total (median salary of 48,800 UAH), and merchandisers, accounting for 15% (21,500 UAH).
However, in addition to “blue-collar” and “gray-collar” workers, companies continue to seek specialists in other fields. Among them is the IT sector. Currently, there are over 200 job openings for IT specialists at various companies on OLX (including N-iX). This demonstrates that demand for technical specialists remains strong in some areas despite high competition among job seekers.
However, according to Maria Abdullina, Head of OLX Jobs, business needs often do not align with candidates’ preferences. In some sectors, the number of responses per job posting is significantly higher, indicating that demand exceeds supply.
One such category on the platform is advertising, design, and PR, which has the highest number of positions where the number of job postings has decreased. Specifically, compared to last year, there has been a noticeable drop in demand among employers for:
- Copywriters, -86% (22,500 UAH)
- Marketers, -51% (27,500 UAH)
- Content managers, -49% (18,500 UAH)
- SMM managers, -34% (21,300 UAH)
The number of job postings for administrative positions has also decreased. Specifically, in the beauty and sports category, it dropped by 53%, and in the hospitality and restaurant industry, by 35%. The median salary is between 20,000 and 23,000 UAH.
Thus, the data shows that employers need workers in manufacturing, construction, and technical fields. It is in these categories that the number of job openings on the platform is growing significantly. At the same time, there are noticeably fewer job offers in the advertising and communications sector, and competition among candidates is high.
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