Foreign labor in Ukraine is viewed merely as an additional tool, says Svyrydenko
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stated that bringing foreign workers into the Ukrainian labor market can only be considered as a supplementary measure to address the labor shortage.
In her statement, Svyrydenko emphasized that Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine has significantly worsened the situation in the labor market.
“The Russian Federation’s armed aggression against Ukraine has caused a significant deterioration in the functioning of the labor market, large-scale population displacement, the destruction of business infrastructure, job losses, and a geographical shift in economic activity,” the statement reads.
According to the prime minister, the state’s top priority is to engage in work:
- Ukrainian citizens residing in the country;
- Ukrainians who can return from abroad;
- young people, women, and veterans;
- people with disabilities;
- internally displaced persons;
- older adults.
To this end, the state must implement tools for career guidance, retraining, and the creation of inclusive working conditions.
Svyrydenko emphasized that the use of foreign labor is not a primary strategy.
“Bringing foreign labor into Ukraine’s labor market is viewed solely as one of the additional tools for addressing the labor shortage,” she noted.
The Prime Minister also reported that the government supports the idea of attracting Ukrainians from abroad and is working on a long-term economic development strategy.
This refers to the “Economy of the Future” strategy project, designed for a 15-year period. It is intended to include:
- attracting investment;
- accelerating economic growth;
- raising income levels;
- the return of Ukrainians who left due to the war.
On May 19, a petition calling for priority hiring of Ukrainians and the recruitment of the diaspora instead of foreign migrants garnered the necessary number of votes for consideration by the government.
The topic of labor migration in Ukraine is actively discussed in society against the backdrop of a labor shortage and the consequences of a full-scale war.
She outlined this position in her response to an online petition published on the government’s website.
A petition has been registered in Ukraine demanding restrictions on the recruitment of foreign workers and prioritizing the hiring and employment of Ukrainians. The author of the petition calls on the Cabinet of Ministers to develop a “State Strategy for the Protection of the National Labor Market” instead of the mass recruitment of migrant workers.
Migration to Ukraine: Is there really a plan for the “mass replacement” of Ukrainians?
