Odesa labor market: is there a shortage of personnel and who is being sought?

At the beginning of 2026, the labor market in Ukraine is in a state of transformation. Increasingly, job seekers are unable to find work, while employers complain about staff shortages. Obviously, this is a consequence of the imbalance in the country. In this article, we have analyzed the situation on the labor market in Odesa and Odesa region, investigated whether there is a shortage of personnel in the region and who the economy lacks the most.

Unemployment statistics in Odesa and Odesa region

There is no up-to-date unemployment statistics in Odesa and Odesa region in official sources. In particular, the most recent available figures from regional sources date back to 2021, and for 2026 there are only estimates from analytical sites. The latest reports from the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine also do not contain data for Odesa and Odesa region.

Analysts estimate the unemployment rate in Odesa region in 2026 at 12% (according to the International Labor Organization methodology). Currently, there are 8,000 job seekers for 14,000 vacancies, and the number of vacancies is growing.

In terms of the number of offers, Odesa ranks third after Kyiv and Dnipro. At the same time, in Donetsk and Kherson regions, the number of job seekers exceeds the number of vacancies by 7 and 3 times, respectively. In Mykolaiv region, two job seekers apply for one vacancy.

Popular vacancies

The most popular jobs are in the areas of trade, logistics, construction, and medicine. Laborers' specialties are also in the top. The number of vacancies in the Defense Forces has increased significantly.

In general, there was no surplus of personnel in 2026, as demand exceeds supply. The only exceptions are certain areas where there is a surplus of workers due to structural unemployment. This is a situation where the skills of workers do not meet the needs of the labor market. That is, there are vacancies, but there are not enough people with certain qualifications to fill them. At the same time, people who are looking for a job cannot work in these positions because they have a different specialty. This situation is similar for professions with low entry barriers and sectors with wage arrears.

Average salary

The average salary for vacancies in Odesa in 2026 is about UAH 25-27 thousand, according to the main platforms (work.ua, jobs.ua). At the same time, there is a trend of growth by 10-15% compared to 2025. According to official data from the State Statistics Service, in Odesa region, the nominal salary of full-time employees in January-February 2026 reached UAH 22-23 thousand.

The breakdown by sector is as follows:

• Trade and sales: UAH 35-38 thousand (the highest average).
• IT and WEB: 25-40 thousand UAH (depending on vacancies).
• Work without qualifications: 16-25 thousand UAH.

Thus, we see that the average salary in the region is gradually increasing. There is also a significant differentiation by sector.

Reasons for the shortage of personnel in Odesa and Odesa region

According to the UN, there are about 5.3 million Ukrainians abroad, most of whom are able-bodied. The upward trend in emigration has led to an outflow of personnel across the country. This process has also affected Odesa and Odesa region.

The shortage of personnel is also caused by mobilization. In particular, in Odesa region, 15% of the potential reserve has been mobilized.

The new rules for men under 22 years of age to leave the country created additional pressure on the labor market. Accordingly, the number of candidates among young people has decreased. According to a study by OLX Job, 41% of employers across the country noted the problem of dismissing young workers.

Another important point is the aging of the workforce in key professions for the economy. The inflow of young professionals cannot compensate for the outflow. This is partly due to the conditions during the full-scale war, and partly due to the fact that young people do not systematically choose certain professions.

Another reason for the staff shortage is the already mentioned structural unemployment.

How the staffing crisis has changed approaches to hiring

The new reality requires new solutions from employers. A study by OLX Job notes that due to the shortage of staff, businesses are more likely to look for older workers, people with disabilities or UIDP status, and candidates without experience.

There is also an increase in the number of women in positions that were traditionally considered "male". This has not become a widespread phenomenon, but it is predicted that this trend will be consolidated and grow.
In some areas, companies are increasingly forced to establish a remote work format, as demand for it accounts for almost a third of all requests.

Thus, there is a staff shortage in the labor market of Odesa region. It is caused by the outflow of personnel due to migration, mobilization, aging, and structural unemployment. In this situation, employers have changed their approaches to hiring, expanding the categories of desired candidates. This indicates a gradual transformation of the labor market, where employers are forced to adapt to the shortage of personnel.

Юлія Калабайда

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