The International Labour Organization (ILO) reports that Ukraine needs to hire 8.6 million additional workers by 2032, of which almost 5 million must have a tertiary education, to achieve its economic goals. This ambitious target underscores the importance of systemic labour market reforms supported by the government and international partners.
In Kyiv, representatives of the government, international and local organisations discussed key priorities for the Ukrainian labour market. In particular, the main topics included employment, cross-border mobility and the return of Ukrainian refugees.
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Despite the recovery of the vacancy rate to January 2022 levels, the labour market is facing new challenges. According to Work.ua, competition among job seekers has significantly decreased: while in February 2022, an average of 75 responses were received per vacancy, in 2024 this figure did not exceed 10.
Experts emphasise the need to promote employment among women and the integration of people with disabilities into the labour market. The issue of livelihoods for internally displaced persons and refugees remains important, as it will affect their decision to return to Ukraine after the war.
‘While the end of the war is a key factor for return, access to work and improved livelihoods will be crucial in this process,’ said Ivan Cardona, UNHCR Ukraine Specialist.
IOM and its partners are working to improve data collection and analysis to better support the government in meeting these challenges. The goal is to create a resilient labour market that meets the current challenges.
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