Is Ukraine Threatened by a Labor Shortage and How Can it be Prevented?

The most pressing problem for Ukraine's economy in the context of the war is the labor shortage, which is exacerbated by persistently high unemployment. The labor shortage is felt in all sectors of the economy and is a serious obstacle to ensuring the stability of the labor market and the economy as a whole. Analysis has shown that, given the current realities in the sphere of economic activity and employment, it is possible to assert that the country has the potential to mitigate the problem of labor shortages in Ukraine. It has been determined that the maximum involvement of the unemployed and people outside the labor force in the labor market requires a comprehensive approach that provides opportunities for women, young people, pensioners, internally displaced persons, veterans, people with disabilities, and other categories of the population to find employment. Key policy directions for overcoming the labor shortage have been substantiated: developing labor market flexibility and labor mobility, automating and digitizing production and organizational processes, creating competitive working conditions, and adapting education, vocational training, and retraining to the current requirements of the labor market.