Over the past year, the Ukrainian labor market has seen a significant increase in wages for blue-collar professions. In some cases, job offers for qualified builders and craftsmen reach 60–65 thousand hryvnias. The main driver of this increase has been an acute shortage of personnel, forcing employers to revise salaries to attract and retain staff. According to labor market analytics as of autumn 2026, median wages for blue-collar jobs show a steady upward trend, exceeding official minimum wage and subsistence minimum figures several times over.
Wage Dynamics in Ukraine's Construction Sector
A comparison of figures from August 2025 and 2026 revealed a record increase in median salaries in the construction sector. Offers for masons and foremen grew the most — by a striking 33%, reaching 60 thousand hryvnias. They are followed by tilters and locksmiths, whose incomes increased by 32%. Other in-demand blue-collar specialties also showed growth within 15–22%. As a reminder, since January 2026, the minimum wage in Ukraine has been set at 8,647 hryvnias before taxes, and the subsistence minimum is 3,209 hryvnias. Thus, the salaries of skilled workers exceed the subsistence minimum by an average of 11–20 times.
Labor Market Situation in Poland
In Poland, the wage level for similar construction and blue-collar professions converted into hryvnias looks significantly higher, though the dynamics over the past year have been less uniform. The growth leader here was also masons: their median salary increased by 38% to reach 11 thousand zlotys, which at the exchange rate on October 6, 2026, amounts to about 126.9 thousand hryvnias. At the same time, the market shows divergent trends: for example, painters' wages decreased by 13% over the year to 7.8 thousand zlotys (about 90 thousand hryvnias). The minimum wage in Poland in 2026 is set at 4,806 zlotys gross, and median workers' incomes exceed it by 1.5–2 times.
Economic Context and Real Incomes
Experts note that directly comparing wages in Ukraine and Poland solely by nominal figures does not reflect the full picture. Real living standards are influenced by tax burdens, housing rental costs, food prices, transportation, and general living expenses. Nevertheless, Ukrainian specialists are increasingly considering both long-term employment domestically amid the staff shortage and short-term contracts in Poland for 2–3 months. Polish employers are also adapting to realities by actively engaging temporary workers, outsourcers, and subcontractors, especially in logistics, retail, and food processing.
