The Ukrainian labor market is demonstrating significant changes in demand structure. According to the latest research by the OLX Work platform, over the past year, the number of job vacancies offering the possibility of deferment (reserve) has grown by 25%. Employers are increasingly using this tool to attract personnel, especially in sectors experiencing an acute labor shortage.

Rise in Salaries and Candidate Activity

Statistics show that along with the increase in the number of offers, financial motivation is also rising. The median salary for vacancies with deferment possibilities increased by 17% over the year, reaching 35,000 UAH. Candidate activity is also at its peak: the number of responses to such offers increased by 28%.

The Kyiv region became the leader in the number of candidate responses. The top 10 regions also included Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Volyn, and Rivne regions.

Geography of Salaries: From Zakarpattia to Chernivtsi Region

An analysis of regional data revealed a significant gap in wage levels. The highest median salary among vacancies with deferment is offered in the Zakarpattia region — 50,000 UAH per month.

At the same time, the lowest figures were recorded in the Kharkiv region (28,000 UAH) and the Chernivtsi region (25,650 UAH).

Drivers and Workers: Who is a Priority

Maria Abdulina, Head of the OLX Work division, notes that the majority of vacancies with the possibility of deferment are concentrated in blue-collar professions. This is because the right to deferment is most often granted to enterprises in critical infrastructure, manufacturing, construction, logistics, and transport.

Among the most in-demand specialties, the leaders are:

  • Drivers
  • Construction workers
  • General laborers
  • Loaders
  • Security guards
  • Salespeople and cashiers
  • Warehouse keepers

It is in these sectors that employers are competing for workers, offering not only protection but also a decent level of remuneration.

Job Rating by Income Level

Among vacancies with deferment, a clear salary hierarchy is observed. At the top of the list are long-haul truck drivers, who are offered up to 70,000 UAH. High rates are also characteristic for taxi drivers, mechanics, and painters (57,500 UAH), as well as construction workers (55,500 UAH).

At the bottom of the salary rating are professions such as nurses (16,750 UAH), cleaners (17,250 UAH), and cashiers (19,900 UAH).

General Labor Market Context

The growth in vacancies with deferment is happening against the backdrop of a general labor shortage in the country. As of the end of June, the number of open vacancies was almost twice as high as the number of officially registered unemployed. Employers were looking for about 235,000 employees, while only 93,000 people had the status of unemployed.