How Ukrainian Society Views Foreign Workers
In an interview with the publication Glavcom, State Migration Service head Nataliia Naumenko discussed public attitudes in Ukraine toward labor migrants and the barriers preventing more foreigners from working in the country. She noted that the scale of labor migration has dropped compared to pre-war levels.
According to Naumenko, Ukrainians are cautious about foreign workers. She identified several key factors that discourage the recruitment of foreigners to work in Ukraine:
- the ongoing war;
- complex logistics;
- lower wages compared to European Union countries;
- difficult legalization procedures;
- limited access to social services;
- the lack of a unified digital service for foreigners.
In 2021, Ukraine issued over 21,000 work permits to foreigners, but by 2025 that number had fallen to 9,574. Naumenko stated that educated foreigners tend to look toward the West and see Ukraine only as a temporary stop on their way to Europe.
“Typically, people from Bangladesh or India who come here do not have a higher education. A more educated citizen of those countries looks toward the West, and if they come to Ukraine, it is only for a temporary stay before moving on,” she said.
The Need for Educational Outreach to Migrants
Naumenko also stressed the importance of educating migrants to prevent panic-driven narratives in society.
“If these foreigners are not given briefings or educational campaigns about where they are going, the local culture, way of life, and what is acceptable or not, then panic narratives naturally arise in society,” she added.
She further pointed out that Russian propaganda has been spreading false information about a massive influx of migrants—specifically Indians and Pakistanis—into Ukraine, which can distort public perceptions of labor migrants. As a result, Ukraine faces significant challenges in the area of labor migration that require attention and solutions.
The current situation underscores the need for both society and the state to better understand the role of foreign workers. Amid war and economic hardship, it is crucial to strike a balance between attracting labor and calming public fears. Educational campaigns and well-designed information strategies can help improve attitudes toward labor migrants and support their smoother integration into Ukrainian society.
As concerns about foreign workers continue to rise, it's essential to address the misconceptions surrounding their impact on the job market. While some fear that migrants are taking away opportunities from Ukrainians, experts argue that this is not the case. For a deeper understanding of how migrant labor influences employment dynamics in Ukraine, read more in our related article on the role of migrant workers in the economy.