Ukrainian labor market: which professions are in trend and which are losing popularity
29 May 2025 14:47
In Ukraine, the demand for workers in defense, manufacturing, and for young professionals just starting their careers has increased significantly. At the same time, the number of vacancies in the hotel and restaurant business and real estate has decreased. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the OLX press service.
OLX Work has analyzed vacancies in Ukraine for the period from April 2024 to April 2025 and publishes the main trends.
In which areas are people most often sought after
In the category“Service in the Defense Forces “, the number of vacancies has increased by more than 4.3 times. Importantly, the number of job seekers’ responses has also increased by 37%. The average salary offered in this sector remains the highest in Ukraine at UAH 64 thousand.
In the manufacturing sector, the demand for various labor specialties has also increased. For example, the number of vacancies for packers has increased 4 times. There were 46% more vacancies for technologists, 42% more for furniture assemblers, and 29% more for electricians.
The situation is similar in the logistics sector, where the number of vacancies has increased by more than 90%. The median salary in this sector is UAH 23.7 thousand.
The construction sector also saw a significant increase (by 30%) in the number of vacancies for foremen, plumbers, builders, installers , etc. The median salary here is also higher than the average in Ukraine and amounts to UAH 35-40 thousand.
The number of job offers for agronomists increased by almost 70%. However, this may be due to the start of seasonal work in the agricultural sector. The median salary here is also higher – UAH 25-30 thousand.
The number of vacancies in the “Starting a career/for students” category, which is popular among students and people without work experience, increased significantly – by 55%. The median salary in this area is UAH 17.9 thousand.
In what areas is there less demand for workers?
The largest drop in demand for labor was recorded among pharmacists (-74%), computer operators (-52%), and bakers (-52%). The median salary for these categories ranges from UAH 19 to 21.5 thousand.
The demand for construction specialists in the category “Work abroad” has significantly decreased (-49%), as most of the representatives of this profession are men who cannot freely cross the border during martial law without certain grounds. At the same time, those who can cross the border are offered a salary in foreign currency, starting at 2.9 thousand euros.
Another area with a significant drop in demand for workers wasReal Estate– 33% fewer vacancies for sales managers. The median salary in this profession is UAH 34 thousand.
The hotel and restaurant business also recorded a drop in the number of vacancies in many professions: pastry chef (-26%), sushi chef (-19%), cook (-15%), dishwashers (-14%), etc. The median salary here is UAH 22-23 thousand.
The number of vacancies for sales representatives decreased significantly, by 46%. On average, they are looking for UAH 27.5 thousand.
Conclusions
The number of vacancies in the Ukrainian Defense Forces has increased significantly over the year. It is important that OLX users continue to actively respond to this offer.
The increase in vacancies for students is likely a response to the labor shortage reported by 57% of Ukrainian companies.
The decline in the real estate sector may be due to a decrease in the purchasing power of Ukrainians in the real estate market and, as a result, a lack of demand for these professionals.
At the same time, the increase in the number of vacancies in the manufacturing and construction sectors is a sign of economic recovery, but many employers still face a shortage of qualified personnel, so training and development remain important.
