Ukraine has a big problem. It lacks millions of workers

Even 4.5 million workers are missing in Ukraine - emphasizes the newspaper "Ukrainian Truth". Employers' search for specialists can take months, including in the defense industry, which threatens the country's security. Only one in four companies operates at full capacity, the rebuilding of some factories is in question.

Ukrainian media point out that the war, which has been ongoing for 20 months, has led to many problems in the economy. It all started with a disrupted supply chain, ending with "energy terror".

"Ukrainian Pravda" notes that a challenge in revitalizing the economy and its reconstruction will be the lack of workers. Even now, there is a problem finding them, and after the war ends, the needs will be even greater. The Ukrainian government claims that several million working hands will be missing.

Over the next ten years, Ukraine will need to attract an additional 4.5 million workers to the labor market. As the country approaches the post-war reconstruction era, the demand for labor force will only grow in order to meet the requirements of economic revival - the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine stated.

Already after the start of "The Great War" (as Ukraine calls the Russian invasion from February 2022), more than 6 million people have fled the country. However, 1 million returned to fight for the country - exact data are classified.

According to data from the Ukrainian job site work.ua, the number of active jobseekers in Ukraine has been gradually decreasing recently. At the same time, the number of new job openings is increasing. "Businesses that have adapted to the conditions of war and increased production are beginning to create more jobs. However, due to the decrease in the number of people looking for work, these positions are harder to fill," adds "Ukrainian Truth". Specialists are sought for weeks, and even months, which is particularly problematic in the defense industry.

Most offers are in the west of the country, further from the front line, and closer to the border with Poland. In Transcarpathia, bordering Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania, the number of offers in September was higher than before the outbreak of the war.

The media notes that on the other side of the country, in the Donetsk region, there are only 19 percent of vacancies compared to pre-invasion times. The same is true in the Kherson region - 11 percent. Likewise, the situation in Kyiv has not yet returned to normal.

The restructuring of the economy has resulted in many companies that employed tens of thousands of people no longer existing, their facilities have been destroyed, or their headquarters are located in areas occupied by Moscow. "This has led to imbalances in the labor market: the skills and specializations of workers do not match the needs of the companies that employ them" - believes "Ukrainian Truth".

There is one industry where there is no shortage of workers. This is the IT sector, where there are not many new job openings, but the staffing situation is stable. There are also no vacancies in administration and culture. On the other hand, professionals in logistics and trade are urgently needed. Only 26 percent of companies operate at their maximum capacity, while 52 percent are using half of their production capacity.

The media is already asking questions concerning the country's post-war reconstruction, which will consume hundreds of billions of dollars. "Why rebuild a factory where there is no one to work? Why rebuild a city where there is no one to live? Who will be building if the population drastically falls in comparison to pre-war times?" - we read. In addition to this is the demographic crisis, which will lead to a reduction in the army, which "will be unavoidable under the conditions of a decrease in population and the necessity of fulfilling social obligations towards retirees".