Main points
- The State Employment Service reported that in the first quarter of 2026, employers were able to fill only 61,000 of the 148,000 vacancies submitted by 27,000 employers.
- The greatest shortage of personnel is observed among certain blue-collar professions.
What professions are currently in short supply in Ukraine / Illustrative photo respektpersonal.com.ua
The State Employment Service summed up the results of the first quarter of 2026: despite a significant number of vacancies, employers continue to experience a shortage of personnel in a number of key professions, in particular blue-collar workers. The most active employment was in the Dnipropetrovsk region and Lviv regions.
What professions are most in demand in Ukraine?
During January-March, 27 thousand employers submitted almost 148 thousand vacancies. At the same time, only about 61 thousand positions were filled, the State Employment Service reported.
The worst situation is observed among blue-collar occupations (skilled workers with tools) – this is where employers face the greatest shortage of workers. Out of 22,600 vacancies, only 30% have been filled.
The most in-demand but scarce professions:
- plumber;
- electric gas boiler;
- locksmith-repairman;
- electrician;
- seamstress.
There is also a noticeable shortage of:
- among professionals (only 34% of vacancies are closed);
- in the field of military specialties (34%);
- among leaders and managers (40%).
This indicates a structural imbalance in the labor market – the demand for qualified personnel significantly exceeds the supply.
Where are vacancies closed faster?
The best staffing indicators are demonstrated by the trade and services sector – 51% of vacancies have been closed. The professions of cook, barista, and salesperson remain popular.
Also, a relatively high level of employment was recorded:
- in agriculture, forestry and fisheries – 50%;
- among technical employees – 47%;
- in the simplest professions – 46%.
At the same time, only 41% of vacancies were filled in the machinery and equipment segment.
Labor market news 2026 in Ukraine
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Ukraine is facing a shortage of workers, especially in construction, trade, services and technical professions, but people aged 55+ are often ignored. More than half of companies in construction admit that the shortage of workers is hindering their development.
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The main reasons for employee layoffs in Ukraine are: salary (31%), mobilization (24%), burnout (16%), etc. Companies try to retain employees through salary increases (27%), flexible work formats (6%).
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Salaries for blue-collar jobs in Ukraine have increased by 10-40%, but there is a critical shortage of some specialists. The largest salary increases are observed for painters (+43%), assemblers (+34%), foremen (+33%) and bricklayers (+32%).