State of the Ukrainian Labor Market: Trends and New Challenges

In Ukraine, the situation in the labor market has significantly changed during the time of the large-scale war. Recently, a certain stabilization has been observed; however, the number of vacancies for military personnel, medical professionals, and lawyers has increased the most. In contrast, it has become more difficult for IT specialists to find work.

This is reported by AgroReview

According to research by work.ua, compared to January 2022, there are more job openings in 16 categories, while the number has decreased in 12 categories. Last year’s research indicated a decrease in vacancies in 19 categories.

Increase in Vacancies in Military and Medical Sectors

The number of vacancies in categories such as the following has remained virtually unchanged:

• Finance, Banking (+2%);
• Service Sector (+1%);
• Marketing, Advertising, PR (+1%);
• Accounting, Auditing (+0.6%);
• Top Management, Senior Leadership (+0.3%).

The most significant increase in the number of vacancies is observed in the military sector. “The most noticeable growth in the number of vacancies is expected for positions in the military. Before the full-scale invasion, there was no separate direction for military recruitment on Work.ua. Today, over 600 units are posting nearly 9,000 job offers on the platform. So, comparing January 2022 and February 2025, the absolute leaders in the increase of vacancies are: deminer – from 1 to 377; shooter – from 3 to 735; mortar commander – from 1 to 135; drone engineer – from 5 to 202; drone operator – from 18 to 702; section operator – from 6 to 198,” noted work.ua.

A significant increase in vacancies has also occurred in the medical sector, which is related to the challenges arising from the war. The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized that the war in Ukraine is leading to an increase in the severity of diseases and the incidence of infectious diseases. According to the Minister of Health, cardiovascular diseases have “aged” by 10-15 years, indicating a growing need for medical assistance.

Labor Market Trends: Medical and Legal Professions

The increase in the number of vacancies in medicine is also explained by a shortage of personnel, which is a common problem in the labor market. This issue is caused by mobilization, the emigration of Ukrainians abroad, and other factors. According to the WHO strategy, a global shortage of medical personnel is expected by 2030.

Over the past three years, the demand for medical professionals has increased in the following areas:

• epidemiologist (+200%);
• anesthesiologist (+170%);
• rehabilitologist (+152%);
• neurologist (+147%);
• urologist (+145%);
• surgeon (+144%);
• traumatologist (+103%).

At the same time, the situation in the IT sector remains challenging: the number of vacancies has decreased by 36%. The most significant reductions in vacancies have affected the following specialties:

• Game Developer (-87%);
• Java Developer (-86%);
• JavaScript Developer (-84%);
• Android Developer (-83%);
• iOS Developer (-81%);
• layout designer (-75%);
• game designer (-71%).