In Ukraine, there is a significant gender imbalance among registered unemployed individuals — 82.9% are women, while men account for only 17.1%. This trend is observed across all regions and is linked to the peculiarities of wartime, which has affected the employment structure of the population.
This is reported by Finway
Regional Characteristics and Age Distribution
The highest percentage of women among the unemployed is recorded in Kirovohrad Oblast (87.7%), Luhansk (87.1%), and Lviv (83.9%). The largest number of unemployed men is found in Volyn Oblast — 22.7%.
Regarding age distribution, the largest share of unemployed individuals falls within the age group of 36 to 44 years — 29.2%. This is followed by the categories of 45–54 years (27.7%) and 26–35 years (19.8%). Young people aged 18–25 make up only 6.4% of the total number of unemployed, while those over 55 years account for 16.9%.
“It is worth noting that the low proportion of youth among registered unemployed may indicate migration processes, continued education, or work in the informal employment sector,” the study states.
Educational Level and Professional Structure
Among Ukrainian unemployed individuals, the largest share consists of those with vocational-technical education (31%) and higher education (31%). Individuals with complete secondary education make up 26.2%, while those with incomplete secondary education account for 8.1%. In Kyiv, the highest percentage of unemployed individuals with higher education is observed — 69.3%. In Kherson Oblast, individuals with vocational education prevail (36.1%), while Lviv Oblast has the lowest share of people with incomplete secondary education (4.6%), in contrast to Odesa Oblast, where this figure is the highest (14.5%).
The professional structure of the unemployed indicates that the largest group consists of professionals and specialists. Workers and those in the simplest professions are represented to a lesser extent. The fewest unemployed individuals are among agricultural workers (1.1%) and representatives of the simplest professions (1.5%). Women most often have specialties in accounting, economics, pedagogy, culinary arts, sewing, and hairdressing. Men predominantly work as drivers, tractor operators, electric gas welders, locksmiths, engineers, and technicians; these professions remain the most in demand in the labor market.