Migrants in Ukraine: why does the country need workers from abroad, and how much are foreigners paid?

Ukrainian businesses are facing a labour shortage, so companies are having to recruit workers from other countries. Find out whether there is a labour shortage in Ukraine and whether we should expect a mass influx of migrants from Asia

Take care of reliable insurance for safe entry and stay in Ukraine

BUY

The Ukrainian labour market is on the brink of radical change. Today, on city streets and in logistics centres, it is increasingly common to see workers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and even Colombia. This topic is rapidly gaining momentum on social media: people are actively discussing and expressing outrage over migrants’ wages, as well as wondering why businesses prefer foreigners over their own compatriots. We examine what is actually happening with the workforce and why the state may have to rely on foreign workers.

Is Ukraine short of people?

The labour shortage in Ukraine has reached critical levels. According to statistics, around 75% of domestic companies report an acute shortage of staff. Due to the consequences of full-scale war, millions of Ukrainians have left the country, many have become internally displaced persons or have gone to defend the state. Businesses are desperately short of builders, farmers and logistics staff, whilst the state lacks doctors and teachers.

In these harsh conditions, employers are simply forced to seek a lifeline abroad. Whereas foreign labour did not attract much attention in the past, now visiting postal workers or foreign couriers instantly spark keen interest.

Residents of Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk are already noticing people from India and Pakistan working in the service sector and cleaning residential complexes. For businesses, to be frank, hiring such staff is a pragmatic calculation: migrants are willing to fill unfilled vacancies on the terms offered, whilst the government is merely discussing options to simplify the legislative process for their employment.

At the same time, hiring foreigners as construction workers or general labourers has become a necessary measure for companies to maintain operations amid a severe shortage of local staff. It is worth noting that the practice of employing migrants in construction has been common for a long time.

Read also: Ukraine to simplify the process of obtaining residence permits for foreigners in the Armed Forces: what you need to know

Don't want to miss important updates and useful articles? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

Migrants’ wages in Ukraine: are foreigners paid more?

The issue of foreign nationals’ earnings has become a major talking point in the Ukrainian online space. Bloggers claim that migrants are offered wages starting from $800 a month (over 32,000 hryvnias), with accommodation also provided. Against the backdrop of such rumours, Ukrainians are justifiably outraged: why do local street cleaners work from the early morning for 7,000 hryvnias, whilst employees in the gas sector or the oil industry earn between 13,000 and 20,000?

In reality, however, businesses are not looking abroad specifically for ‘cheap labour’.

According to industry experts, hiring a migrant worker costs the employer significantly more than hiring a Ukrainian. Companies have to cover the costs of international recruitment agencies, processing permits, flights via third countries, providing accommodation, and paying for interpreters to help with integration.

Recruiting a migrant involves significant costs, which companies incur due to the inability to fill vacancies domestically.

Another essential expense and bureaucratic hurdle is legalisation and safety. To employ someone from abroad, it is necessary to arrange reliable health insurance for foreigners in Ukraine. In today’s climate, a basic policy is insufficient: the policy must cover military risks. Employers and migrants themselves often resolve this issue via the Visit Ukraine portal, where they can quickly arrange insurance that meets all current state requirements.

Should we expect a mass influx of workers from Asia?

Despite concerns among some sections of society about a wave of millions of migrants, current statistics paint a different picture. In 2021, around 22,000 work permits for foreigners were issued and renewed in Ukraine, whilst a total of around 300,000 foreign nationals were registered, a figure that did not cause a stir.

In 2025, the number of such permits fell to 9,500. Of this number, only around 6,000 people are likely to actually enter the country due to visa refusals or changes of plan. On a national scale, these are minimal figures.

Furthermore, Ukrainian society and business are currently objectively unprepared for the large-scale integration of foreigners.

The presence of foreign workers at present is sporadic and is primarily linked to businesses’ need to fill critical gaps in their staffing.

Please note! Medical care in Ukraine is available to foreigners, but in most cases it is chargeable and depends on your residence status. Find out how the healthcare system works, whether it is better to go to state or private clinics, what is covered by insurance, how to call an ambulance and how to prepare for a trip to Ukraine.

Detailed information that will be useful when planning a trip to Ukraine can be found here:

– Travel to Ukraine for tourism.

– Employment in Ukraine.

– Immigration to Ukraine.

– Studying in Ukraine.

– Travelling to Ukraine by car.

– Popular destinations in Ukraine.

– Support Ukraine.