LABOR SURPLUS AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN RURAL AREAS OF UKRAINE: CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES, SOLUTIONS
Abstract
The article examines structural factors of labor surplus in rural Ukraine and their implications for youth employment. It shows that technological modernization of agriculture, industrial decline and demographic change cause persistent worker displacement and increase unemployment risks for young people. The role of labor migration, especially internal migration, as an adaptive response to regional labor imbalances is analyzed. Youth mobility, constrained by weak transport infrastructure, limited jobs and low wages, is insufficient to compensate these imbalances. The lack of a diversified industrial and service base in rural communities restricts job creation. The article highlights the need for managed internal migration, better micromobility and transport accessibility, and incentives for employers to create jobs in peripheral regions, alongside policies that support youth employment and invest in human capital.
References
Derzhavna sluzhba statystyky Ukrainy. Serednia zarobitna plata za vidpratsovanu hodynu za stattiu ta profesiiamy [State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Average hourly wages by gender and occupations]. Available at: https://stat.gov.ua/sites/default/files/2025-12/3.22.xls (accessed February 28, 2026)
Derzhavna sluzhba statystyky Ukrainy. Zainiate naselennia [State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Employed population]. Available at: https://stat.gov.ua/sites/default/files/2025-12/3.5.xls (accessed February 28, 2026)
Litvin S. I. (ed.) (2007) Diialnist derzhavnoi sluzhby zainiatosti z poperedzhennia nevrehulovanoi zovnishnoi trudovoi mihratsii, protydii torhivli liudmy ta likvidatsii dytiachoi pratsi [Activities of the State Employment Service of Ukraine on preventing irregular external labour migration, combating human trafficking and eliminating child labour]. Kyiv: Millennium, 311 p. (in Ukrainian)
Derzhavna sluzhba statystyky Ukrainy. Statystyka. [State Employment Service of Ukraine. Statistics]. Available at: https://www.dcz.gov.ua/stat (accessed February 28, 2026)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (2022) The impact of the war in Ukraine on rural labour markets. Available at: https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/2d8cd9d3-a5ff-4a91-b9b0-d6ec9dc971f8/content (accessed February 28, 2026)
International Organization for Migration (IOM) (2024) Employment, mobility and labour market dynamics in Ukraine. Available at: https://ukraine.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl1861/files/documents/2025-01/iom_ukr_employment_november-2024_-1.pdf (accessed February 28, 2026)
Lupenko Yu., Patyka N. (2025) Employment of the rural population in Ukraine: Qualitative and quantitative dimensions. Ekonomika APK, vol. 32(3), pp. 10–20. Available at: https://eapk.com.ua/en/journals/tom-32-3-2025/zaynyatist-silskogo-naselennya-ukrayini-yakisny-i-kilkisny-vimiri (accessed February 28, 2026)
Sarioglo V., Kuranda A. (2025) Anticipation of female labour supply in rural area of Ukraine: A microsimulation approach. Problemy Polityki Społecznej. Social Policy Issues, vol. 70(3), pp. 1–23. Available at: https://www.problemypolitykispolecznej.pl/pdf-205811-128651?filename=Anticipation-of-Female-La.pdf (accessed February 28, 2026)
Eurostat. Farmers and the agricultural labour force – statistics. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Farmers_and_the_agricultural_labour_force_-_statistics (accessed February 28, 2026)
Державна служба статистики України. Середня заробітна плата за відпрацьовану годину за статтю та професіями. URL: https://stat.gov.ua/sites/default/files/2025-12/3.22.xls (дата звернення: 28.02.2026).
Державна служба статистики України. Зайняте населення. URL: https://stat.gov.ua/sites/default/files/2025-12/3.5.xls (дата звернення: 28.02.2026).
Діяльність державної служби зайнятості з попередження неврегульованої зовнішньої трудової міграції, протидії торгівлі людьми та ліквідації дитячої праці : навч. посіб. / за ред. С. І. Літвіна. Київ : Мілленіум, 2007. 311 с.
Державна служба статистики України. Статистика. URL: https://www.dcz.gov.ua/stat (дата звернення: 28.02.2026).
The impact of the war in Ukraine on rural labour markets. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022. URL: https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/2d8cd9d3-a5ff-4a91-b9b0-d6ec9dc971f8/content (дата звернення: 28.02.2026).
Employment, Mobility and Labour Market Dynamics in Ukraine. IOM Ukraine, 2024.
URL: https://ukraine.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl1861/files/documents/2025-01/iom_ukr_employment_november-2024_-1.pdf (дата звернення: 28.02.2026).
Lupenko Yu., Patyka N. Employment of the rural population in Ukraine: Qualitative and quantitative dimensions. Ekonomika APK. 2025. Vol. 32, No. 3. P. 10–20. URL: https://eapk.com.ua/en/journals/tom-32-3-2025/zaynyatist-silskogo-naselennya-ukrayini-yakisny-i-kilkisny-vimiri (дата звернення: 28.02.2026).
Sarioglo V., Kuranda A. Anticipation of female labour supply in rural area of Ukraine: A microsimulation approach. Problemy Polityki Społecznej. Social Policy Issues. 2025. 70(3). P. 1–23. URL: https://www.problemypolitykispolecznej.pl/pdf-205811-128651?filename=Anticipation-of-Female-La.pdf (дата звернення: 28.02.2026).
Eurostat. Farmers and the agricultural labour force – statistics. URL: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Farmers_and_the_agricultural_labour_force_-_statistics (дата звернення: 03.03.2026).
Copyright (c) 2026 Марина Мельник, Dmytro Marshavin
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
