“Salary Photo: Getty Images In 2025, the labor market showed both favorable and unfavorable trends. Over the year, the average salary in Ukraine increased to UAH 25,000, which was also recorded in the regional dimension. The lack of specialists has become the main problem in a number of professions, especially in production specialties. As a result, enterprises began to more actively attract women, elderly people, […]”, — write: businessua.com.ua
Salary Photo: Getty Images
In 2025, the labor market showed both favorable and unfavorable trends. During the year, the average salary in Ukraine increased to 25,000. hryvnias, which was fixed in the regional dimension as well. The lack of specialists has become the main problem in a number of professions, especially in production specialties. As a result, enterprises began to more actively attract women, elderly people, people with a diagnosis of ADHD or with disabilities. Such data is contained in the OLX study published on January 26.
What does the profile of an applicant for a position look like According to the OLX Job survey, the most typical age of a candidate for a job on OLX is 35 to 44 years old (35%). The second largest group is 45–54 years old (21%). The distribution by gender among applicants is almost identical – 51% are men and 47% are women. The most dynamic job search market is in regions where large cities are located. In particular, a significant number of candidates in Dnipropetrovsk (14%) and Kyiv regions (11%), and in Kyiv (about 10%). The level of interest is also high in the Kharkiv region (7%).
According to OLX Job, trade and sales are the most sought-after industry (37% of respondents answered this way). 21% first pay attention to the format of employment and look for freelance work, regardless of the industry. This emphasizes the trend growing demand among Ukrainians for a convenient schedule and the possibility of working from home. 31% of respondents identified a salary of 20,000 to 30,000 hryvnias as the most acceptable. Another 30% indicate a desired income of 30-50 thousand. They agree to receive only 4% up to 10,000 hryvnias.
23% increase: how wages have changed in Ukraine and regions The average salary1 in Ukraine at the end of 2025 was UAH 25,000. In monetary terms, compared to 2024, it is 23% more. The median salary is an indicator of the amount of earnings that divides all employees into two groups: half earn less than this level, half earn more. Unlike the average, the median salary is not distorted by too much or too little earnings and therefore more accurately reflects the usual level of pay.
A positive point is that the increase in wages has been recorded in all regions of Ukraine. At the same time, the highest average salary is in the Lviv region, UAH 29,750 (+32%). At the same time, the largest percentage of increase (+36%) was observed in the Kyiv and Zakarpattia regions, up to UAH 29,300 and UAH 28,500, respectively. The smallest, but still positive percentage, in the Kherson region: +3% (increase to UAH 17,500). In terms of regional centers the leader in the growth of the average salary and its actual amount at the end of 2025 is Lviv: +40% up to UAH 32,100. In Kyiv, it is 30,000 (+33% for the year).
Taking into account individual professions, the biggest changes in wages occurred for:
- assemblers (+59%),
- managers in the hotel and restaurant business (+50%),
- commodity experts and bakers (+40%),
- masons (+38%).
Despite the general trend of growth, some positions happened decrease in average salaries. The decline was recorded in the professions:
- excavator driver (-30%),
- domestic worker (-19%),
- system administrator (-9%),
- computer repair master (-7%)
- designer (-3%).
How the demand and supply of work has changed The number of responses to advertisements with job offers on the platform increased by 3%, compared to 2024. If you analyze the data through the prism of large cities, the situation is different. For example, in Kyiv, the number of responses to job advertisements decreased over the year, and in Kharkiv – increased. Regarding the level of supply, the number of ads decreased the most over the year in Dnipro (-17%) and Odesa (-13%). On the other hand, in Kharkiv there was an increase of +1%, which is a positive signal on the labor market in the city.
It is noticeable among employers in 2025 the demand for customer service managers in the trade industry has increased. There are also significant growth indicators for the vacancies of excavator operator, cook’s assistant, foreman and call center operator.
Among those who are looking for a job, there has been an increase in demand for positions in the “Starting career” category, which mainly places vacancies for candidates without experience, students. From the point of view of specific professions, the number of responses increased for job offers as a cook’s assistant and a call center operator, which generally coincides with the interests of employers.
At the end of 2025, it was easiest to find candidates for the positions of online store manager, chat operator, customer service manager, content manager and PC operator. It was this list of professions that recorded the largest number of responses to 1 advertisement. Mostly because often these professions have the possibility of remote work.
On the other hand, Ukrainians responded less actively to vacancies for bakers, technologists, auto electricians, and dentists. Accordingly, it is more difficult for employers to close these same positions.
The largest number of responses in December 2025 had the vacancies of handyman (in the category of construction and facing works) and packer. In addition to the high demand for these professions, an increase in the average salary was also recorded: up to UAH 22,500 for both vacancies, which is 13-15% more than in 2024.
Forecasts for 2026 The year 2025 showed that the Ukrainian labor market is still adjusting to the new wartime conditions. It finally entered the “candidate market” phase: the lack of personnel became the main challenge, especially in production and technical specialties. As a result, employers have become more flexible and ready to hire representatives of different strata of the population. The need for remote work and flexible schedule became a frequent demand of candidates. It is easiest to close vacancies that involve the possibility of remote work. Instead, “blue-collar” professions remain the most scarce.
Salary is one of the main criteria for choosing a place of work. By the end of 2025, the average salary in Ukraine was UAH 25,000 (+23% from 2024). In 2026, employers will have to continue to review the level of wages: both to attract new specialists in the most in-demand industries, and to maintain current teams.
The personnel crisis will continue to deepentherefore, in addition to wages, employers will also have to review hiring approaches, diversify them, and more actively involve different groups of the population. Companies are already becoming more open to hiring veterans, people with disabilities, and older candidates; actively attract women to traditionally male specialties. Simultaneously increasing attention to retraining and adaptation of employeeswhich will allow to close vacancies for grandchildren of existing employees and candidates. There is also growing attention to foreigners as a potential source of labor, particularly in manufacturing occupations. So far, this cannot be called a mass trend, but it is expected to increase in the future.
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