The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) held a seminar with key stakeholders of the Government of Ukraine to raise awareness and seek consensus on current and future challenges in Ukraine’s labour market and implement policies to address them. 

Even before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine was already facing a shortage in labour force. But now when more than 6 million Ukrainians have been forced to go abroad, the economic situation in the country has become even more critical. The Ministry of Economy estimates that over the next ten years, Ukraine will have to attract an additional 4.5 million employees to the labour market. As the country approaches the post-war era of rebuilding society, labour force needs will only increase to meet the demands of economic recovery. 

“The recovery of the labour market is not a consequence of victory, it is the way to victory,” emphasized Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna.

Following up on events such as the Ukraine Recovery Conference held in London last month and organized by the governments of Ukraine and the UK, today’s discussion is aimed at further practical steps to achieve the Government’s strategic priorities. The event brought together 40 participants from the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, State Employment Service and State Migration Service, the Office of the President, Ministry of Digital Transformation, Ministry of Culture and State Border Guard Service, as well as IOM, ILO and non-governmental organizations such as the Kyiv School of Economics.

IOM and ILO plan to continue to support the Ministry of Economy in paving the way for labour market recovery to achieve key priorities.

“We look forward to working closely together to help the country on its path to recovery and to build a more promising future for Ukraine and its people. Economic recovery is paramount to this process,” said IOM Chief of Mission Anh Nguyen in his opening remarks. 

“It is time to lay the foundations for a revitalized labour market that will make the best use of the knowledge, skills and abilities that people possess and will offer them new economic opportunities, decent work and social protection. We reaffirm our readiness to support Ukraine’s efforts in this direction,” said ILO National Coordinator Serhii Savchuk.

By facilitating cooperation and interaction between key stakeholders, including IOM and ILO, the Government of Ukraine is taking a significant step towards building a sustainable labour market and achieving sustainable development in the post-war context.