Unemployment rate in Ukraine: payment conditions and how to get assistance
Kyiv • UNN
In Ukraine, 94,267 unemployed people are officially registered, the most in Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Poltava regions. Employers are experiencing an acute shortage of skilled workers, drivers and doctors.
Despite the war and the gradual recovery of the labor market, over 94,000 unemployed people are officially registered in Ukraine. The largest number of people without work is in the Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Poltava regions, while employers continue to experience an acute shortage of personnel - especially among skilled workers, drivers, and doctors. This is reported by UNN in response to a request from the State Employment Service.
Unemployment rate in Ukraine: what the current data shows
According to the State Employment Service, as of June 1, 94,267 unemployed people are registered in Ukraine. Of these, 75,807 are men and 18,460 are women.
By age group
- under 35 years old - 19,039 Ukrainians;
- 34-44 years old - 27,496 Ukrainians;
- 45-55 years old - 27,420 Ukrainians;
- over 55 years old - 20,321 Ukrainians.
By education
- higher education - 38,630 Ukrainians;
- vocational and technical education - 34.1 thousand Ukrainians;
- general secondary education - 21,537 Ukrainians.
By region
The top 3 regions by the number of registered unemployed include: Dnipropetrovsk (7,289), Kharkiv (6,983), and Poltava (5,782) regions.
The fewest unemployed are registered in Chernivtsi (1,899), Zakarpattia (1,377), and Luhansk (577) regions. In Kyiv, 1,915 unemployed are registered, and in the Kyiv region - 3,991.
As reported by the State Employment Service, during January-May 2026, with the assistance of the State Employment Service, over 125 thousand job seekers were employed, including 52 thousand registered unemployed.
The agency also stated that as of the beginning of June 2026, the database contained 61 thousand vacancies. At the same time, on the "Unified Vacancy Portal", which was created by the body to expand job search opportunities and which combines information from the employment service database and leading Ukrainian job search sites (work.ua, robota.ua, and others), 241 thousand vacancies were posted.
Most in-demand professions
The greatest shortage of personnel is observed among skilled workers. In particular, in professions such as: seamstress, driver, electrician, plumber, electrician, emergency repair fitter, CNC machine operator, woodworking machine operator, turner, carpenter, welder, excavator operator, auto mechanic, etc.
There is also a significant shortage of doctors of various specializations (family doctor, internist, pediatrician).
On the "Unified Vacancy Portal", the most job offers are currently available for:
- workers in trade and services: salesperson, administrator, cook, barista, sales representative, waiter, security guard, baker; skilled workers: driver, fitter, assembler, electrician, seamstress, electrician;
- for professionals and specialists: accountant, engineer, doctor, mechanic, freight forwarder, nurse, technologist,
teacher;
- for unskilled workers: loader, cleaner, storekeeper, general worker.
It should be noted that the significant demand for certain professions is due to high staff turnover in these industries. Thus, salespeople, waiters, baristas, general workers, and loaders change jobs quite often. In addition, the most vacancies are always submitted for professions that are found in almost all sectors of the economy. For example - driver, accountant, lawyer, economist
Main causes of unemployment
The main cause of unemployment in Ukraine, as noted by the State Employment Service, today is the destruction of enterprises and infrastructure as a result of the armed aggression of the russian federation, business relocation, reduction or cessation of operations of individual enterprises, which leads to job losses.
The issue of structural unemployment is also becoming more acute, when there is a significant mismatch between the qualifications and skills of job seekers and the needs of employers. Some job seekers require special vocational training or advanced training to meet the needs of the labor market. One of the factors of unemployment is also the territorial mismatch between labor demand and supply
The agency also emphasized that as a result of internal population migration and business relocation, the demand for workers in relatively safe regions is growing, while in front-line territories, on the contrary, economic activity is declining. That is, vacancies and job seekers are often concentrated in different regions, which complicates employment due to limited population mobility.
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Unemployed insured citizens have the right to benefits in the event of unemployment, i.e., those who officially worked and paid insurance premiums, as well as young people who have completed or discontinued their studies at educational institutions, have been discharged from compulsory military or alternative (non-military) service and who need assistance in finding their first job - if the relevant persons are registered as unemployed.
How to apply for unemployment benefits
To receive unemployment benefits, a person submits an application for the status of a registered unemployed person and the appointment of unemployment benefits. Documents are submitted to any convenient Employment Center for visiting, regardless of whether such person has a registered place of residence (stay), in one of the following ways:
- in person, during a direct visit to the employment center;
- in electronic form via the state web portal of electronic services (Diia Portal) or through the electronic office of the job seeker on the website of the State Employment Service;
- using the mobile application of the State Employment
Service, and for persons who, after the introduction of martial law, are in
territories where hostilities are being conducted or temporarily occupied by the russian federation, using the mobile application of the Diia Portal.
Unemployment benefits are assigned from the first day after the day the status of unemployed is granted. The duration of unemployment benefit payment during martial law cannot exceed 90 calendar days, and for people of pre-retirement age (one year before reaching the appropriate age and having the insurance record required for assigning an old-age pension) - 360 calendar days.
In which cases unemployment benefits may be terminated
Unemployment benefits may be terminated in the event of:
- expiration of the payment period;
- cancellation of the registration of the unemployed person on grounds, including - in the event of:
- employment, self-employment;
- reinstatement of the registered unemployed person at their
previous job;
- enrollment in full-time education;
- assignment of care allowance for a person with a disability of group I or II due to a mental disorder who, according to the
conclusion of the medical commission of the healthcare institution, requires constant supervision;
- the registered unemployed person reaching retirement
age or being granted an old-age pension on preferential terms or for long service;
- the registered unemployed person submitting an application to
terminate registration, etc.