The labor shortage in Ukraine's construction industry is becoming increasingly acute, and hiring workers from Asia and Africa is becoming a necessary step for many companies. The war has caused a significant reduction in the number of officially registered workers in the construction sector over the past two years. Find out more about this in our article

Legal assistance on entry and stay in Ukraine for foreign citizens

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Today, 74% of companies in Ukraine are facing a shortage of personnel, and construction sites are already short of almost 40% of specialists. This is reported by Forbes Ukraine. 

In this regard, construction companies are planning to attract migrants from Asia and Africa in the face of a staff shortage. 

According to the Confederation of Employers of Ukraine, the number of officially registered workers in the construction sector has decreased by 25.4% over the past two years, to almost 300,000 people.

Olga Gavura, director of 7CI Group, noted that construction companies currently lack 30-40% of working specialists. The European Business Association's (EBA) labor market research shows that 74% of companies in Ukraine are experiencing a shortage of staff.

Given the shortage of workers in Ukraine, companies are looking for specialists abroad. In particular, Ivano-Frankivsk-based developer Blago Development has already attracted foreign workers who are expected to arrive in June.

The company's HR director, Viktoriia Nahorna, explained that the company has 35 projects, and their number is constantly growing, so they need bricklayers, concrete workers, and their assistants.

Dmytro Pashko, co-founder and CEO of the international recruitment agency WorkMasters, said that Blago Development plans to hire up to 50 workers from abroad.

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Foreign nationals already working in Ukraine

During the full-scale war, WorkMasters brought to Ukraine about 100 workers from different countries who work or plan to work in the construction industry, logistics, agriculture, manufacturing, service and medicine. These are workers from Pakistan, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and African countries.

Currently, 10 more companies have turned to WorkMasters to find 130 workers.

According to Pashko, salaries for handymen, car repairmen, electric welders, bricklayers, loaders, and parking lot attendants start at $450 per month, and for experienced bricklayers - at $650. In Ukraine, such specialists usually receive $900 or more.

If the situation becomes critical, 7CI Group is also ready to invite workers from abroad, considering candidates from Moldova, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

The engineering and construction company Rauta also does not rule out the possibility of attracting migrants. The company's director, Andriy Ozeychuk, noted that since the beginning of 2024, 2.5 teams of workers have been mobilized in Mykolaiv, so he sees foreign workers as an advantage because they are not mobilized. However, the company is still looking for workers among Ukrainians.

Foreign nationals from any part of the world can get assistance on entry/stay/employment in Ukraine on the Visit Ukraine portal. Our lawyers are ready to provide comprehensive legal support, which will include not only consultations and answers to questions, but also assistance in collecting, submitting and receiving the documents you need.

You can order a specialist consultation or full legal support by following this link. 

We remind you! Earlier, we wrote that the labor shortage in Ukraine is already threatening the economy, and the situation will only get worse after the war. Find out about the reasons, possible solutions, and experts' forecasts for attracting migrants and increasing labor productivity here.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine

Before you travel to Ukraine or while you are already in the country, seek legal advice. Our team will help you feel safe and confident during your trip, business trip or relocation.