Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has pretty much crippled an already troubled labor market in Ukraine. A year after the start of the war, business adapted to the existing conditions and began to recover, which led to a partial stabilization of the labor market.

PR director of work.ua Maxim Pilipenko told Channel 24 about this. According to him, the labor market has recovered by 66% from the pre-war level, and the number of vacancies is gradually increasing.

There is a positive trend

Maxim Pilipenko said that as of March 15, 2023, there are more than 66,000 vacancies in Ukraine, which is 66% of the pre-war level.

The first record of growth in the number of vacancies was set in January 2023, and then continued growth began.

“There are more jobs, competition among applicants is gradually decreasing, and there is an opportunity to find work and get a job,” Pilipenko said.

Are wages on the rise?

The PR director of work.ua noted that from the beginning of the full-scale invasion and throughout 2022, the average salary level remained at the level of UAH 15,000 per month, and in February 2023, a shift was noticed and the average salary level rose to UAH 16,000.

What the labor market experienced during the year of full-scale war: watch the video

The reason for this was the adaptation of business to the conditions that have developed in Ukraine.

“The market is stabilizing, businesses have adapted to the existing conditions. Applicants and employees have also adapted. Everyone was waiting for this increase in wages and now it has happened, we see what is happening with prices and employers also understand this and therefore revised salaries,” Maxim said. Pilipenko.

In which category did wages increase the most?

According to the PR director of work.ua, the largest growth occurred in the following categories:

• Real estate – 30 thousand hryvnia:
• Transport, auto business – UAH 22,500:
• Sales, purchases – 20 thousand hryvnia.

The war ruined everything

Maxim Pilipenko said that in February 2022 the number of vacancies was at the level of 100,000, but after a full-scale invasion, this figure dropped sharply to 6,000 in Ukraine, that is, 15 times.

During the year, the labor market gradually recovered and reached the level of 66,000 vacancies.

A large number of Ukrainians went abroad, about 7 million citizens became IDPs, about 1 million Ukrainians are now defending the country, and we understand that these people are those who were on the labor market, and now who are abroad, who are protecting Ukraine,” Pilipenko said.

According to him, employers already note the possibility of a shortage of qualified personnel. During the year of full-scale war, the volume of the labor market has partially decreased and the number of applicants has decreased.

Through companies, they are already thinking about how to train employees and help them develop within the company, and the same is expected from applicants. In companies, priority will be given to those applicants who are ready to learn, retrain and be open to the new.

Who are they looking for the most

Pilipenko told what vacancies are now the most popular:

• Sales Manager;
• Shop assistant;
• Driver;
• Accountant;
• Cook.

You can always find a job for these positions. Also, an increase in the number of vacancies occurred in the field of logistics, medicine, construction and security.

In the occupational dimension, job openings rose for gardeners, interior designers, and fire safety engineers.

“The labor market enters spring with the desire to create, restore and make Ukraine beautiful,” Pilipenko stressed.

What to expect in 2023

The PR director of work.ua highlighted several aspects of the specifics of the labor market in 2023. He noted that the market began to recover and the number of vacancies began to grow, which is a positive development.

Companies also lack qualified staff, but this is a great opportunity for job seekers, because companies are ready to train and hire motivated job seekers with training opportunities.

In addition, the problem of mental fatigue due to the war has become acute in Ukraine, and most companies understand this. Therefore, in 2023, according to Maxim Pilipenko, employers will invest in employee support programs.

How will the labor market change in 2023

• Hard times await Ukrainians in 2023, but during the period of turbulence, people are trying to find more options in order to be ready for different scenarios.
• Traditionally, the demand for working professions, engineers, military and doctors remains.
• The industries that have been hardest hit by the pandemic and then by the war are likely to continue to stagnate. We are talking about the sphere of tourism, service, hotel and restaurant business. The number of job offers in these areas will decrease.