Salaries and job vacancies in Ukraine: how the labor market has changed during the war
11 March 18:57
The median salary in Ukraine increased by almost 94% between January 2022 and January 2026, while the number of vacancies increased by only 13% and the number of responses to them even decreased by 3.5%. These figures were published by the OLX platform in a study by the OLX Robota service, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
These figures demonstrate a significant transformation of the Ukrainian labor market during the years of full-scale war: demand for labor remains stable, salaries are growing, but the behavior of job seekers is changing.
Salaries are growing faster than the number of vacancies
In four years, the median salary in job ads has almost doubled. At the same time, the growth in the number of vacancies has been much more modest.
Key trends:
- Median salary: 94%
- Number of vacancies: 13%
- number of responses: –3.5%
This may indicate a labor shortage caused by several factors: mobilization, migration, and demographic changes.
Highest salaries: the leaders remain unchanged
As before the start of the full-scale war, the highest median salary is recorded in the real estate sector.
Top-paid professions:
- real estate brokers — UAH 112,500
- facade workers
- plasterers
- bricklayers
For comparison: in January 2022, brokers earned about 65,500 UAH, meaning their income has increased significantly.
High salaries in construction are explained by active restoration work and infrastructure projects.
A new high-paying field — service in the Armed Forces
In 2026, a new separate category of high-paying jobs appeared on the job market — service in the Armed Forces.
Jobs in this category not only offer competitive salaries, but are also among the most numerous in terms of the number of advertisements.
This is another indicator of how the war has affected the structure of the labor market.
Job seekers have changed their interests: online work is gaining popularity
Over the past four years, the preferences of job seekers have also changed significantly.
2022
Job vacancies for manual labor received the most responses.
2026
Interest has shifted toward digital and communication professions:
- copywriting
- SMM
- content creation
- chat operators
- online store managers
- customer service
The main reason is flexible hours or the ability to work remotely.
What employers need
Despite candidates’ interest in online work, employer demand remains different.
The most common vacancies are:
- salespeople
- drivers
- loaders
- logistics
- service in the Armed Forces
This shows the imbalance between the desires of employees and the real needs of business.
Salaries in the public sector
Separate from the commercial market, salaries in government structures are also growing.
As of 2025, the average salary was:
- 53,300 UAH — central government bodies
- 31,500 UAH — regional administrations
- 15,500 UAH — territorial authorities
Average salary in Ukraine
According to official statistics, in December 2025, the average salary of full-time employees was 30,926 UAH, which is 13.8% more than in November of the same year.
