Resources for employers in Ukraine
Resources for employers in Ukraine
We use "refugees" to encompass forcibly displaced people with different legal statuses, such as refugees, subsidiary protection holders, temporary protection holders, asylum seekers, and other people in need of international protection.
In cases where differentiating information relating to each status is essential (i.e., regarding the right to work), this is clearly indicated.
Why hire refugees, IDPs and stateless people in Ukraine?
The full-scale war in Ukraine has triggered the fastest-growing and largest displacement crisis in Europe since World War II. It led to the displacement of over 10 million people, 3.7 million of whom are internally displaced within the borders of Ukraine. At the same time, 6.3 million have sought refuge in other countries. The war has disrupted access to some essential services and livelihoods, continues damaging infrastructure, and results in millions of people dependent on humanitarian aid. Poverty has increased fivefold, from 5.5% to 24%, and 30% of pre-war jobs have been erased, which has disproportionately affected internally displaced people from conflict-stricken areas. Many large enterprises are not operating fully or have suspended operations completely, leading to high unemployment levels, reaching 26% in 2022.
In this context, providing stable work opportunities in Ukraine can help war-affected and displaced communities secure their livelihoods, cover their expenses for housing and utilities, and prevent aid dependency. In addition, companies that hire internally displaced people can help rebuild the Ukrainian economy and benefit from new sources of talent. 74% of employers in Ukraine already experience a need for personnel due to mobilization and the outflow of qualified personnel to other countries. There are also little-known governmental initiatives to support employers who hire IDPs, including salary contributions and compensations for relocation where needed. The successful integration of IDPs into the labor market has the potential to bring in 500,000 untapped workers to help the country reach its recovery targets, which require 8.6 million new workers by 2032.
Visit the UNHCR Ukraine Situation page to learn more
DTEK Group is Ukraine’s largest energy holding, which produces electricity at solar, wind, and thermal power plants, mines coal, and natural gas, and trades energy resources on Ukrainian and foreign markets. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, DTEK Group has donated 18.2 million USD in humanitarian aid. DTEK Group companies are also helping displaced people get jobs, employing almost 1,000 internally displaced people in Ukraine and supporting communities with equipment, technical devices, and means of transportation. Read more about businesses supporting Ukraine in the UN Global Compact report.
Did you know?
UNHCR has recently launched the “Ukraine is Home” online platform, which provides information for both Ukrainian refugees and IDPs on access to support, guidance on voluntary returns, access to government programs, entitlements, and useful links for a range of service providers in Ukraine and neighboring host countries. The platform also includes a section with information on opportunities for employment, vocational training, and entrepreneurship.
View the Employment and Livelihoods section of Ukraine is Home to learn more
How many refugees, IDPs and stateless people are there in Ukraine?
According to IOM data, there were 3.7 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ukraine as of August 2024. Almost half of the total IDP population originated from just two oblasts: Donetska (24%) and Kharkivska (22%). 52% of all IDPs were concentrated in just five oblasts in Ukraine, with the largest IDP presence in Dnipropetrovska and Kharkivska Oblasts. 82% of displaced households reported having been displaced for at least one year.
As of mid-2024, there were an estimated 34,760 recorded stateless people and people of undetermined nationality in Ukraine.
View the IOM Ukraine Internal Displacement Report 2024
How many of them are working?
According to the IOM, as of 2023, almost 40% of working-age IDPs already have jobs or are engaged in their own business. Another 14% are actively looking for their place in the labor market. However, due to the lack of work, 39% of IDPs have changed their residence several times, and 25% plan to relocate again. IDPs are primarily employed in Healthcare, Hospitality, Energy, and Education sectors. As of 2024, compensatory payments for employers have made it possible to employ 24,000 IDPs.
What are the main challenges?
A 2023 report by PIN highlights some of the most common challenges for IDPs to access employment, which include: 1) the mismatches between the jobs in demand and the skills and affinities of the jobseekers; in particular, there are fewer men among IDPs seeking employment, and the demand for drivers, machine operators, and road workers, among others, is relatively high; 2) the differences in salaries between the eastern/central versus the western areas of the country which produces dissatisfaction among jobseekers; 3) psychosocial challenges of IDPs who feel unable to start building a new life in displacement while facing uncertainty with accommodation or schooling for their children; 4) the decline in industry and production, especially in smaller cities and villages, which limits the opportunities available; and others.
Despite the right to work for stateless people and applicants for statelessness status, many stateless persons face barriers in practice, such as a lack of diplomas and relevant experience due to their statelessness.
Read the full report on “Employment and Economic Integration Situation of Internally Displaced People”.
Did you know?
A new initiative by the Swedish non-profit Beredskapslyftet aims to address the disparity between the number of jobs traditionally considered masculine and the lack of men in the labor market. The project is called Reskilling Ukraine and focuses on training women in such fields as truck and public bus drivers. For example, the OnTrack program, organized in partnership with Scania Ukraine, offers women a certified driving school course for truck drivers, support for passing the necessary state exams, site visits and training by Scania, and ongoing support for career development. The program's goal is to train 252 women in these professions and, in this way, to support the rebuilding of the Ukrainian economy and empower women for economic participation.
Do refugees, IDPs and stateless people have the right to work in Ukraine?
| Status | Who it applies to | Right to work? | Process |
| Asylum-seeker | Individuals who expressed their wish to apply for asylum through the submission of the asylum application documents to the state authorities. | Asylum-seekers have access to employment similarly to other foreigners and stateless people who reside in Ukraine on legal grounds. | Employers must obtain a work permit for the asylum-seeker they wish to employ. Obtaining work permits is free of charge and without a time limit to access the labor market. However, formalizing the employment relationship remains challenging because the asylum seekers’ certificate (dovidka) is not considered an ID document in Ukraine. |
| Refugees | Individuals who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality/ citizenship, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, are unable or unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of their country of origin. | Same rights as Ukrainian citizens. | Same process as for Ukrainian citizens. |
| Beneficiary of complementary protection | Individuals who do not qualify for refugee status but need protection because of a threat to their life, safety, or freedom in their country of origin owing to a fear of the death penalty, torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, punishment, or generalized violence in situations of international or internal armed conflicts, or systematic human rights abuses. | Same rights as Ukrainian citizens. | Same process as for Ukrainian citizens. |
| Internally displaced person (IDP) | Individuals who have been forced to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights, or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized state border. | Full right to work. IDPs may apply for an IDP certificate from the local social services or through the Diia application to verify their IDP status and receive assistance from government and humanitarian organizations. | It is the same process as for any Ukrainian citizen. IDPs have additional opportunities to learn new skills or obtain specialized services from the Employment Center. |
| Stateless person | A stateless person is someone who is not considered as a citizen by any country (whether recognized as such or not) | Recognized stateless people with a residence permit have a right to work. Applicants for statelessness status have a right to work but have to obtain a work permit. | Work permits for stateless applicants are issued for up to one year or the validity of the employment contract. |
For more information on the legal framework, see the UNHCR Help page.
Bear in mind
To officially sign up for the State Employment Services and get a formal job, men must register for military service at their new place of residence. This additional barrier to accessing formal employment leads to some men opting for informal jobs.
Did you know?
Remote online work can allow many refugees and displaced people in Ukraine to continue working and developing professionally. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is partnering with the freelancing platform Upwork to help displaced Ukrainians find remote online work to facilitate their reentry into the job market. IOM will identify displaced jobseekers in Ukraine and neighboring countries with the right skills in demand on the Upwork platform, provide essential training and support services, and assist participants in establishing themselves as online freelancers. Upwork will provide training and assistance to onboard participants and link them with job opportunities through the platform.
How do I connect with refugee, IDP and stateless talent?
Employers interested in hiring refugees and IDPs can contact the Ukrainian State Employment Service, where they can publish vacancies and receive referrals to qualified candidates. As of 2024, 93,000 IDPs have received employment assistance from the State Employment Service, of which 47,000 have found work. Employers can also post vacancies on several platforms to connect with refugee and displaced talent in Ukraine. EmployUkraine is an entirely free platform where employers can find candidates for both remote and in-person roles in Ukraine. Foreign employers can also use the platform to hire IDPs in Ukraine through an Employer of Record. Other job-matching platforms in Ukraine include Robota.ua and Work.ua. Finally, UNHCR Ukraine has a database of NGO partners categorized by area with information about the services provided by each partner. Interested employers can contact these organizations to connect with refugees and displaced job seekers (see more in the Services Advisor map).
What can I do to support refugee, IDP and stateless employees?
Employers who are interested in hiring IDPs and refugees in Ukraine are encouraged to organize psychosocial support in the workplace to assist those who are dealing with trauma, mental health issues, or personal circumstances. It is also recommended to provide special assistance for IDPs with special needs, especially disability. Given that many refugees, IDPs and stateless people experience housing insecurity, help with finding and covering the costs for the first 1 to 3 months for accommodation and utilities would be greatly appreciated by new hires. Similarly, assistance with school enrollment and childcare arrangements can significantly impact job seekers, especially women. Finally, involving IDPs, refugees and stateless people in their host communities' social and cultural lives would contribute to their integration, and businesses can facilitate this through peer mentorship programs and teambuilding events.
Vouchers and training
The Ukrainian State Employment Service offers vouchers for training and professional development, and in 2023, 6,000 people benefitted from them. Employers can also order specialist training at the State Employment Service's Vocational and Technical Education (CPTO DSZ) centers for existing or future vacancies.
Compensatory payments for employing IDPs
Businesses can receive compensation for labor costs for each employed IDP in the amount of a minimum monthly salary for 3 or 6 months (Resolution #331). Employers can also claim compensation for unified social tax costs, hire unemployed IDPs, or cover the costs of retraining or professional development (Resolution #696).
Recruitment support
The State Labor Inspection has partnered with the International Labor Organization to provide 164,000 businesses with information on employment relationships during the martial law period. Employers can find an FAQ section about employment in wartime and sign up for online counseling on labor relations, wages, and safe work.
A series of Easy Business reports on the Integration of Vulnerable Groups in the Labor Market (in Ukrainian)
A qualification map of Ukraine by the organization FutureSkills (in Ukrainian)
A map of State Employment Service offices across Ukraine