Migrant Workers in Ukraine: How Many Are There, Really, and Why Is It Cheaper to Retrain Ukrainians?

In Ukraine, the issue of hiring foreign workers sparks considerable debate, yet the actual scale of labor migration remains minimal. The Ministry of Economy compared the costs of hiring a migrant worker versus retraining a Ukrainian worker and cited specific data from a survey of employers. Learn more about the situation regarding labor migrants in Ukraine and the government’s plans for migration policy

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The issue of bringing foreign workers to Ukraine is often accompanied by exaggerations and myths. During the “National Prosperity” event, Deputy Minister of Economy Daria Marchak cited specific figures and explained why the actual scale of labor migration into the country is minimal. She also compared the cost of hiring a foreign worker with retraining a Ukrainian—the difference turned out to be significant. Finance.ua reports on this.

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How Many Labor Migrants Work in Ukraine: Real Figures

According to Daria Marchak, the scale of labor migration to Ukraine is currently statistically insignificant. In 2023, approximately 9,000 work permits were issued to foreigners in the country—this is less than before the start of the full-scale invasion, when approximately 21,000 permits were issued.

Currently, this figure is even lower—about 6,000 permits per year, including renewals of existing documents. Against the backdrop of a projected labor shortage of 4.5 million workers, these numbers are, according to the deputy minister’s assessment, virtually negligible. According to Finance.ua, foreign workers cover only 0.1% of the labor market’s needs, and their number accounts for 0.14% of the total demand.

Read more about migrants and the labor market in Ukraine in 2026 — here.

Are foreigners taking jobs away from Ukrainians?

Marchak noted that the topic of labor migrants in the media is overloaded with myths. Fears that foreigners will take over Ukrainians’ jobs en masse are not supported by actual data.

This position was supported by Ella Libanova, director of the Institute of Demography and Social Studies at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. According to her, immigrants usually do not compete with the local workforce, as the country’s citizens have significantly more employment opportunities. At the same time, there are positions that citizens themselves do not accept, and it is precisely there that foreign workers can fill the vacancies.

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How much does it cost to hire a foreign worker and retrain a Ukrainian?

The Ministry of Economy conducted a survey of employers regarding their experience working with labor migrants. The results showed that only a few companies have such experience. At the same time, the costs of hiring a single foreign worker are significant:

• Hiring a foreigner — from 75,000 to 150,000 UAH (including recruitment services, logistics, and related expenses);
• Retraining a Ukrainian citizen — from 20,000 to 30,000 UAH.

According to Marchak, a retrained Ukrainian already knows the language, has housing, and is integrated into society—they only need to be provided with the necessary professional knowledge.

From which countries can labor be recruited—we explain via the link.

Will Ukraine attract labor migrants in the future?

Daria Marchak does not rule out that, over time, Ukraine may need tools to attract workers from other countries. However, even with the appropriate political decision in place, implementing it will be difficult due to high international competition for workers.

In that case, the state will need to formulate a clear migration policy that defines:

1. The countries of origin of workers;
2. The required number of migrants;
3. In-demand specializations;
4. The actual needs of the economy.

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Reminder! We previously discussed salaries in Europe in 2026 and where wages are higher.

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