Labor market in 2025: a large shortage of personnel and a small increase in wages
11 March 2025 08:49
The Ukrainian labor market, despite all the challenges, demonstrates extraordinary resilience, and in February 2025, the largest number of candidates sought work during a time of deep staff shortages. This is stated in a study by the portal Work.ua, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The first conclusion of the study is that three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the labor market has recovered by 93%. Although it has changed in structure and geography, there are definitely jobs in Ukraine.
60% of all vacancies are in five regions
In February 2025, employers posted 98,736 vacancies on the portal, which is 4% more than in January.
The number of vacancies increased most noticeably in Zhytomyr (up 7%), Kirovohrad, Rivne, Chernivtsi, and Mykolaiv (up 6%) regions.
However, the list of regions with the highest number of jobs remained the same. A third (34%) of all vacancies are in Kyiv and the region. Lviv and Dnipropetrovs’k regions account for 9% each, another 6% in Odesa, and 3% in Kharkiv. The number of vacancies increased in all leading regions in February.
What are the most popular vacancies?
In February, almost half (44%) of all vacancies were in 5 categories out of 28:
“Working specialties, production” – 16 703 vacancies, plus 5% compared to January;
“Service sector” – 14,535, plus 5%;
“Sales, purchasing – 12,450, plus 5%;
“Retail trade – 11,392, plus 5%;
“Logistics, warehousing, foreign trade – 10,314, plus 4%.
In February, the labor market was significantly replenished with vacancies for the following positions: veterinarian (plus 36% compared to January), drone engineer (plus 30%), dental assistant (plus 20%), scout (plus 19%), content specialist (plus 17%), repairman, restaurant administrator, medical clinic administrator (plus 16%).
Another positive trend is that employers continue to actively mark vacancies with the “Veterans Preference” marking – 4,413 job offers, up 18% compared to January.
For which vacancies there is the most and least competition
Positions of a layout designer, front-end developer, and web designer are consistently at the top of the ranking of the most competitive professions. However, for the second month in a row, it has been topped by the position of a direct manager, i.e. a specialist in processing applications in Instagram stores.
Other surprisingly competitive jobs include copywriter, video editor, English translator, graphic designer, retoucher, screenwriter, literary editor, beauty salon and online store administrator.
These are usually remote positions that are the most fiercely contested.
Instead, employers looking for specialists have the least number of responses:
– for combat positions in the Defense Forces: grenade launcher, flamethrower, gunner;
– with medical education: epidemiologist, functional diagnostics doctor, gastroenterologist;
– laborers: cutter, driller.
What are the most popular candidates on the labor market?
In February, the most sought-after specialists were
sales consultant
administrator
sales manager;
driver
accountant
office manager
customer service manager;
bartender;
SMM specialist;
hR manager.
The average salary has been growing for the third month in a row
In February 2025, the average salary increased to UAH 23,500 (plus UAH 500 compared to January). Among the regions with the highest number of vacancies, average salaries increased in:
Kyiv region – UAH 26,500, plus UAH 500 compared to January;
Lviv region – UAH 24,900, plus UAH 900;
Odesa region – UAH 22,500, plus UAH 500;
Kharkiv region – UAH 21,500, plus UAH 500.
In Dnipropetrovska oblast, however, the average salary remained unchanged at UAH 22,500.
Salaries for vacancies in the following categories increased most noticeably:
“Telecommunications and communications” – UAH 30,000, plus 9% compared to January;
“Insurance – UAH 27,750, plus 7%;
“Media, publishing, printing – UAH 24,000, plus 7%;
“IT, computers, internet – UAH 29,250, plus 6%;
“Construction, architecture – UAH 30,000, plus 5%;
“Real Estate – UAH 50,000, plus 5%;
“Top management, senior management” – UAH 50,000, plus 5%.
The NBU believes that the labor shortage will remain significant
Employment and wages will gradually increase amid a labor shortage and economic recovery. This is stated in the NBU’s January Inflation Report.
It is noted that under the influence of strong labor demand, unemployment will decline, but will remain higher than before the full-scale invasion (about 10-11% in 2025-2027) due to the persistence of significant imbalances between the needs of employers and the knowledge and capabilities of potential workers. At the same time, wages will continue to grow given the high competition for skilled workers among businesses.
According to the State Statistics Service, in 2024, real wages have already exceeded the level before the full-scale invasion in most sectors of the economy. Wages are expected to continue to grow, although as the labor market gradually improves, the annual rate of increase in real terms will slow to 3-4% in 2025-2027.
