There Are Slightly Fewer Construction Vacancies Than Before the Full-Scale Invasion

Like the labour market as a whole, the construction sector contracted sharply at the start of the full-scale war. The number of vacancies in the «Construction, Architecture» category dropped by 89% (from 6,920 to 680 job postings). Throughout 2023–2025, the market gradually recovered. It stabilised at around 5,400–5,500 vacancies per month, nearly returning to pre-war levels.

In February 2026, there were 6,074 job postings in this category on Work.ua. This means the market has recovered to 88% of its pre-war level.

Which Regions Have Construction Jobs

After February 2022, the labour market changed unevenly across regions. In some oblasts, the number of jobs increased significantly:

  • +107% — Zakarpattia Oblast;
  • +78% — Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast;
  • +68% — Chernivtsi Oblast.

At the same time, frontline regions saw a significant decline in vacancies in the «Construction, Architecture» category:

  • -99% — Donetsk Oblast;
  • -79% — Kherson Oblast;
  • -63% — Kharkiv Oblast;
  • -45% — Zaporizhzhia Oblast;
  • -43% — Odesa Oblast.

At the same time, Kyiv and the surrounding region lead in absolute numbers of vacancies, accounting for roughly one-third of all job postings. Lviv and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts are also among the top three regions. This geographic distribution is typical of the labour market overall.

Who Is Hiring Construction Workers

Vacancies in the «Construction, Architecture» category are offered by a wide range of employers. Construction companies themselves account for one-third of all job postings (35%). Other employers posting vacancies include woodworking, machine-building, and metallurgical enterprises.

Over the past year, Ukraine’s Defence Forces units, energy companies, and defence industry enterprises have significantly increased their hiring of specialists.

The analysis shows that compared with the labour market overall, this sector is fragmented: many companies are looking for construction workers, but each has only a small number of vacancies. There are virtually no large employers conducting mass recruitment.

Looking at specific roles, the highest demand is for the following specialists:

  • electrical installation supervisor;
  • welder;
  • design engineer;
  • general labourer;
  • site supervisor;
  • installer;
  • construction worker;
  • power engineer;
  • mechanic;
  • plumber.

Low Competition, High Requirements

The key challenge facing the labour market remains the labour shortage, which is especially acute in construction.

Competition per vacancy in this sector is twice as low as the market average, and the gap is not narrowing.

At the same time, employers are fairly demanding when it comes to candidates: only 22% of vacancies are suitable for people without experience. Across the labour market overall, the share of entry-level vacancies is twice as high — 44%.

Salaries Are 27% Higher Than the Market Average

A natural consequence of the labour shortage is rising salaries. In the «Construction, Architecture» category, the average salary in February 2026 was UAH 35,000, compared with UAH 27,500 across the labour market overall.

At the same time, salaries in this category are growing faster than the market average.

The highest salaries are offered to the following specialists:

  • UAH 75,000 — construction project manager;
  • UAH 65,000 — chief engineer;
  • UAH 53,750 — reinforced concrete worker;
  • UAH 50,000 — site supervisor, industrial climber, bricklayer, roofer, tiler;
  • UAH 47,500 — panel beater;
  • UAH 46,000 — driller;
  • UAH 45,000 — heating engineer;
  • UAH 43,750 — installer;
  • UAH 42,500 — ventilation installer.