The volume of money transfers by Ukrainian labor migrants to Ukraine has decreased significantly during the war
5 September 2025 18:28
Despite the fact that a record number of Ukrainians are abroad, the volume of remittances to Ukraine is falling. In an interview with "Komersant Ukrainian", Vasyl Voskoboinyk, head of the Office of Migration Policy, explains why this imbalance is happening and what to do about it.
Millions of Ukrainians abroad, but no money coming in
Today, according to the expert, there may be 7 to 9 million citizens outside Ukraine, not only in the EU, but also in the United States, Canada, and even Russia. But, contrary to expectations, the volume of remittances to the country has not increased, but rather decreased.
“The number of people has increased, but the amount of money coming into Ukraine has decreased. This can mean either that they no longer have relatives here or that they don’t earn enough to send something,” explains Voskoboynik.
One of the key explanations for the decline in remittances is the complete departure of families abroad. Unlike the pre-war period, when men stayed to work outside the country, while their wives and children stayed in Ukraine, the situation has changed.
“If a man has taken the whole family abroad, there is simply no one to send money to. This is a logical and direct connection between the departure and the decrease in remittances,” the expert notes.
Another important reason for the decline in remittances is the change in the source of income of Ukrainians abroad. Earlier it was earnings, now it is mostly social benefits from host countries.
“People used to work and had a goal to save money and send it to their families. Now most of them receive social assistance, which is only enough to live on. And even if they are able to send something, it’s a completely different amount,” says Voskoboynyk.
The head of the Office of Migration Policy emphasizes that if the state wants to return migrant workers’ money not only in the form of remittances but also in the form of investments in the economy, it needs to work on deeper things than just creating investment platforms.
“It should be not so much about money, not so much about investment projects, but about trust in the country,” he emphasizes.
According to Voskoboinik, people will not invest in a country that they do not see as part of their future.
“If you are not considering returning to the country in the near future, why would you invest in its economy? Because you don’t see it as your future homeland,” he adds.
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Earlier, in an interview with Kommersant Ukrainian, the head of the Office of Migration Policy, Vasyl Voskoboinyk, spoke about the current situation with the migration of Ukrainians, especially young people and children, as well as about new approaches that should be applied to the issue of “returning” citizens.
He emphasized that the country needs not only a new demographic policy, but also an honest analysis of reality, without inflated expectations.
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