The labor market in Ukraine's frontline regions is undergoing fundamental changes. Amidst the ongoing war, the structure of demand for personnel is shifting towards sectors that provide basic needs for the population and logistics. Office and creative professions are practically disappearing from the list of vacancies, giving way to trade and manual labor.
Analysts from the OLX Jobs platform conducted a large-scale study of the situation in five key regions: Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Sumy, Kherson, and Mykolaiv. The results show a clear trend: employers are looking for people capable of supporting trade and production, while interest in managerial positions is declining.
Trade and Manual Labor: New Market Leaders
The most in-demand profession in the frontline zones remains the salesperson. Compared to last May, the number of such vacancies has increased by 2%. However, the geography of wages shows significant variation. The leader in wages in this sector is the Kharkiv region, where the average offer is 32,500 hryvnias. In the Kherson region, the median salary is 30,000 hryvnias, while in Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv, it is around 27,500 hryvnias.
Parallel to trade, employers are actively seeking general laborers. Here too, the Kharkiv region demonstrates the highest figures — 22,500 hryvnias. In the Zaporizhzhia region, they offer around 21,000 hryvnias, and in Mykolaiv and Sumy — about 20,000 hryvnias. In addition, there is a consistently high demand for cooks in the Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, indicating that the catering industry continues to operate even under difficult conditions.
The Paradox of Vacancies: Growth in Offers and Decline in Interest
Despite the increase in the number of job offers, applicant activity shows ambiguous dynamics. Traditionally, salesperson vacancies receive the most responses, but over the last year, their number has decreased by 20%. This may indicate that people are looking for more reliable or safe employment options.
At the same time, there is a growing interest in other positions. General laborer vacancies have attracted 14% more candidates, baristas — 13%, cashiers — 12%, and drivers — 3%. Such data suggests that the market is adapting: people are willing to take responsibility for specific, clear tasks, often related to manual labor or service.
The Disappearance of Office Professions
The most dramatic changes have affected the office and creative sectors. In the frontline regions, the number of vacancies for managers, lawyers, copywriters, and SMM specialists has significantly decreased. During the 2025–2026 period, there were practically no advertisements for brokers, sales department heads, supervisors, auditors, and photographers.
Experts link this trend to a shortage of personnel and the gradual relocation of the workforce to safer regions of the country. Companies requiring specific managerial or creative skills are either closing down or moving their offices deeper into Ukraine.
Context: Shortage of Engineers and Gender Gap
The situation in the frontline zones is part of a broader picture in Ukraine's labor market. Previously, there were reports of an acute shortage of technical and engineering personnel across the country. The highest demand is for machine operators, CNC machine operators, electricians, and electrical engineering specialists. Due to the lack of workers, wages in these sectors are growing the fastest.
Furthermore, the issue of the wage gap between men and women remains relevant. According to State Statistics Service data for the first quarter of 2026, the average salary for men was 33,800 hryvnias, while for women it was 24,800 hryvnias. In the context of economic transformation and the shift in demand towards manual labor, this gap may become even more noticeable.
