AN INVESTIGATION OF THE FACTORS SHAPING THE LABOR MARKET IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The relevance of the topic is determined by the critical transformations of the Ukrainian labor market under martial law, which necessitates a fundamental rethinking of the classical factors of its formation and functioning. The unprecedented scale of forced migration, mobilization processes, and physical destruction of infrastructure have created a unique economic environment that requires new analytical approaches. The purpose of the study is a comprehensive analysis of modern determinants of labor market development of Ukraine and the identification of key trends in its functioning during the period 2021-2025. The paper examines the impact of global and national factors on the labor market and identifies the trends they are causing today. It is determined that the main market-forming factor is the full-scale invasion, which has caused the emergence of a number of secondary factors that have become independent over time, including: forced migration, gender change, mobilization of able-bodied men, etc. The research revealed a profound structural imbalance between the demand and supply of labor caused by massive external migration (over 6 million citizens) and the involvement of a significant part of the population in the defense forces. The author proves that despite the high level of actual unemployment, there is an acute shortage of qualified personnel in key sectors of the economy, such as construction, energy, and agriculture. The study identifies a significant gap between the formal education of the workforce and the real needs of a recovery economy, leading to professional degradation and deskilling. The study concludes that there is an urgent need to adapt state employment policies and corporate HR strategies to the conditions of a militarized economy. The author emphasizes that economic recovery is impossible without proactive measures for the repatriation of migrants and the integration of vulnerable groups (veterans, IDPs) into the labor process. The practical significance of the results lies in the possibility of using the proposed recommendations to develop regional recovery strategies and digital platforms for professional retraining, which will contribute to the long-term stability of the national labor market and the restoration of the state's human capital.