Ukraine has been dubbed many names, including “the next India for IT outsourcing“. But the IT industry is advancing so fast, there are not enough specialists in the country, so the government looks into attracting talent from abroad.

5,000 IT specialists to get work permits in Ukraine annually

The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers resolved to offer a 5,000 migration quota for technology specialists to attract professionals from abroad, KP.ua reported.

The internal market’s demand is constantly growing and local universities are unable to meet it. 15-17 thousand of graduates join the ranks of IT professionals every year, but there are about 40,000 vacancies that need to be filled during the same time.

The situation is exacerbated by the fact that many Ukrainians opt to work abroad and leave the country using programs of skilled migration to countries like Australia, New Zealand, or Canada. Many locals work in foreign companies while living in their homeland, with the propagation of freelance websites it’s easy.

The government hopes that offering migration quotas may help to fill the gaps.

Who would want to move to Ukraine?

It may seem that the offer to migrate to the largest country in Europe may not look too attractive, since the Ukrainian wages are some of the lowest not only in Europe, but worldwide (in November 2019 the average monthly salary in the country was 10,679 hryvnia or USD 437). It’s true, but the cost of life is also some of the lowest you can find on the planet.

There are also some attractive prospects for people who choose to make Ukraine their new home.

• Ukraine is scheduled to become a member of the European Union by 2025-2027.
• Since 2017, Ukrainians enjoy visa-free access to the countries of European Union.
• Being a non-citizen, the person may avoid the mandatory call up to army in his country (for instance, Russia requires all males to serve in the armed forces for a period of one year).

Ukraine is also seen as a more democratic country as compared to many other post-USSR republics located in Asia. Wages in some of these republics are even lower.

• For instance, in Tajikistan the average monthly salary is less than USD 100.
• In Uzbekistan wages range from USD 150 (small towns) to $375 (the capital), which is also lower for the cities of comparable size.

Even western expats sometimes wish to move to Ukraine due to the lower cost of living. This program could be a suitable option to make dreams a reality.

Read also:

• How often do Ukrainian women marry foreigners?
• Are Ukrainians rich or poor?
• 4 major problems of foreigners in Ukraine
• Russians vs. Ukrainians