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4.5 Labour and income
4.5.1 Labour market, unemployment dynamics
Ukraine's Unemployment Rate increased to 9.8% in June 2020, from the previously reported number of 8.5% in March 2020.
Unemployment in Ukraine is up by two thirds (67%) year on year since quarantine measures were introduced due to the coronacrisis, reports UNIAN citing the State Employment Service.
Between March and August 2020, about 432,000 more Ukrainians were officially registered as unemployed. Given the large size of Ukraine’s shadow economy, the real number is likely to be higher.
However, huge numbers of Ukrainians are still leaving the country to look for work. During the summer harvest season, 9mn Ukrainians – or half of the nation’s total work force – work in the EU, according to Social Policy Ministry estimates cited by the Kyiv Post.
Estimates of Ukraine’s workforce range from 16 to 19mn. EU wages are often four times those in Ukraine.
In 2019, more than 3mn Ukrainians were legally working abroad, mainly in Poland, Finland, Germany and the Czech Republic.
Bucking the trend, the city of Kharkiv has been trying to poach IT specialists from Belarus by offering relocation perks, reports Interfax-Ukraine.
“Kharkiv IT-community sincerely empathises with Belarussian colleagues who are forced to be in unstable conditions and psychological pressure. Kharkiv
23 UKRAINE Country Report November 2020 www.intellinews.com
