How to employ immigrants

One of the key problems remains employment. By March 2025, only 800,000 IDPs of working age out of 2.1 million will be employed through the State Employment Service. That is, only every third IDP has an official job. The remaining persons either work informally or remain unemployed, which complicates their adaptation and creates an additional burden on the social system.

Compensation for employers is insufficient The state stimulates the employment of IDPs through the compensation program for labor costs. In 2024, 270 million hryvnias were spent on this, which made it possible to employ more than 13 thousand people. In 2025, 2,500 employers received compensation for the employment of 4,200 IDPs, and the amount of payments amounted to UAH 94 million. The numbers seem significant, but in the scale of the problem, it is a drop in the ocean.

The program is a positive step, but it does not solve systemic problems. IDPs face a lack of jobs that match their skills or employers’ reluctance to hire people with unstable housing status. In addition, the terms of compensation are limited, which reduces business interest.

Those able to work leave, those unable to work stay Analysis of recent movements shows an alarming trend: Ukrainians of working age from front-line zones and occupied territories are increasingly moving abroad in search of better opportunities. Instead, elderly or disabled people remain in Ukraine, which increases the demographic imbalance. This is not only an economic, but also a social problem: the loss of the working population threatens the long-term recovery of the country.

The integration of internally displaced persons with new communities is not just a humanitarian issue, but a strategic necessity. If Ukraine fails to create conditions for the employment and adaptation of IDPs, it risks losing a significant part of the human capital that is so necessary for reconstruction.

How to solve the problem To change the situation, comprehensive solutions are needed that combine public support, private initiative and innovative approaches. Here are some suggestions.

1. Expanding support for private employment agencies. The civil service cannot cope with the volume of work. Private agencies would become an effective tool if they received subsidies for each employed IDP. This would expand access to vacancies and speed up the employment process.

2. Increasing the terms of compensation for employers. Current short-term compensations do not motivate businesses to hire IDPs. Extending the term of payments or differentiating them depending on the region or industry would change the situation.

3. Incentives for providing housing. One of the obstacles to the employment of IDPs is the lack of housing. Employers who provide housing or rent compensation may receive tax reductions or business expansion grants.

4. Popularization of “work plus housing” platforms. Online platforms that combine job vacancies with housing offers will greatly facilitate the adaptation of internally displaced persons. Such platforms should be actively promoted through state and public channels so that both employers and job seekers learn about them.

Why is this important? IDP adaptation is not only about the economy, but also about social cohesion. Each unemployed IDP is not only a lost potential, but also a risk of increasing social tension. People who feel needed, who have a stable job and a roof over their heads, are more likely to become active members of new communities.

Ukraine faces a choice: either we invest in the adaptation of IDPs, or we face the long-term consequences of their marginalization. Expanding support programs, involving the private sector and creating conditions for combining work and housing are not just ideas, but a necessity. It’s time to act while the able-bodied Ukrainians are still here.