Ukrainian Labor Market In 2023: Vacancies, Salaries, And Career Challenges.

Prepared by. Natalia Humeniuk. In this lesson you will learn: In-demand and vulnerable professions. Salaries and job satisfaction. Perks and benefits.

What is Happening With The Ukrainian Labor Market

Number of Job Ads. We can see that the number of vacancies in Ukraine slightly decreased in the third quarter.

Geography of Hiring. The distribution of vacancies by cities remains consistent after the full-scale war began: Kyiv is in the lead, followed by Lviv. Remote work as an option continues to be the second most frequently mentioned format of cooperation in the job postings.

The Most Hiring Companies in Ukraine. Outsourcing companies with overseas clients continue to lead in terms of hiring activity within the country.

The Most In-Demand Jobs. As In. Game Job reported, currently the most in-demand fields in companies are Art & Animation (21.18%), Programming & Development (20,45%), Marketing & PR (12,237%), Communication Management & Support (7,51%), Producing & Management (7,22%). Among TOP 5 most wanted specialists are: Support specialist, 2 D Artist, Game Designer, Unity Developer, and 3 D Artist. It’s interesting enough, Unity programmers are sought in Ukraine by 47% more than UE.

The labor market is currently abundant with highly skilled professionals due to recent layoffs. Senior-level experts who were made redundant are now actively seeking employment and are even considering mid-level positions that offer lower salaries but are better than having no job at all.

Salaries And Income Satisfaction. Gender pay gap is always a topic to discuss. This year is no exception. Currently, men in the Ukrainian games industry earn an average of €2,315 (before tax), while women earn €1,544 monthly.

Salaries by level. If we take into account the level of experience of gamedev specialists, then their median gross monthly income will be as follows: Trainee – 530 euros,Junior – 800 euros,Middle – 1667 euros,Senior – 2917 euros,Expert/Top/Chief/Head/VP – 4,000 euros. The Ukrainian games industry is navigating a challenging landscape in 2023. While it faces various obstacles, there are also positive indicators of resilience and growth. The industry continues to adapt to the evolving global landscape, offering opportunities and challenges for professionals across different disciplines.

Income satisfaction29% of the respondents claim that they earn enough to buy everything needed for life, but without saving some amount. Whereas only 14% of respondents are able to afford everything needed plus save some money.

Bonuses and benefits. Most often, regarding non-financial bonuses, gamedev specialists can get health insurance/medical care, foreign language classes, birthday and wedding gifts, funding for external education, and more.